The village of Pré-Saint-Didier is famous for its hot spa waters which come out of the rock at 36°C and supply the nearby Spa Baths. The hot, iron-enriched waters were already known to and appreciated by the ancient Romans who were the first to exploit them. As you climb towards the Little St Bernard, the only village you meet is La Thuile. It lies in a vast hollow, sheltered by dense forests and dominated by the imposing presence of the Rutor and its glacier, along the road that leads to France, which makes this an extremely important strategic point. In fact the village was a stopping place along the Roman road, called Via Galliarum. The road continues its ascent towards France, across the Little St. Bernard Pass, which is only open during the summer period. Right on the Franco-Italian border near the Pass, you can see the remains of a proto-historic cromlech. At the top of the Pass, there is a statue of St Bernard and just on the other side of the border is the “Chanousia” botanical gardens, founded in 1897 by Abbot Chanoux. The Hospice, founded in the 11th century by St Bernard, also stands here.

Places you go through on the route:
- Elévaz 5.8 km (1,270 m)
- La Thuile 9.7 km (1,425 m)
- Little St Bernard Pass 23 km (2,188 m)