Great Saint Bernard

Great Saint Bernard

At 2500m, the Great Saint Bernard connects the Rhone Valley with the Italian Aosta Valley and the Italian Piedmont. In Roman times a temple stood on the pass. The alpine crossing was a significant stretch of the pilgrim routes between north and south. The Augustine monks raised not only rescue dogs on the pass; they also welcomed travellers in their hospice. The villages in the Pays du Saint Bernard are rich in history, and its mountainous surroundings have a surprisingly large number of wild nature preserves – perfect for summer and winter sports enthusiasts.