Already an important mining center, Cogne has become a summer holiday resort on account of its beautiful scenery, excellent facilities and close proximity to the Gran Paradiso National Park.  Many winter holidaymakers make use of its ski and chair lifts, etc., and it is also a fine resort for cross-country skiing.

Leaving the lower valley at Aymavilles (a Roman bell-tower and crypt at St. Léger), you can admire the Challant castle (14^th century) with its four round towers.  The road climbs steeply through meadows, orchards and one or two vineyards with the road to Pondel on the right. At this point, you can admire the steep Roman bridge aqueduct, which is still used today to cross the Grand’Eyvia torrent, whose waters plunge 52 meters down into the narrow gorge.

Back on the valley road, you can take the left fork to Ozein, a quiet sunny village with hotel accommodation (and a magnificent view of the Grivola). The Cogne Valley, like many others, is narrow at the entrance with rocky, fir-covered slopes with sparse grass.  After a number of isolated houses and some fine waterfalls, you come to the wider part of the valley, where you will find the pretty Cogne villages – Epinel and Crétaz – with their fine architecture.

Skirting the fast-flowing torrent, you come to Cogne itself, the main town in the valley with its beautiful, unspoilt Sant’Orso meadow.  The iron mines have almost turned the town into a small city with excellent hotels and plenty of good accommodation. In the town square, you can admire the fine cast iron fountain (1819) and, from there, the Sant’Orso meadow and glittering Gran Paradiso glacier.

You can go on a number of outings from Cogne for, besides being the gateway to Valnontey (Paradisia Alpine garden), Valeille and the Urtier Valley, it is also the departure point for climbing Gimillan. There are many beautiful views of pine forests, waterfalls (Lillaz), flora and fauna to be seen.  Paths and roads lead into the National Park with a wide variety of climbs including the 4000-meter (“difficult but beautiful”) Grivola praised by Carducci.