Atmospheric glances along one of the most important ancient routes: the historical pilgrimage to Rome

Walking along the Via Francigena in the Aosta Valley means strolling through ancient villages and splendid castles, impressive churches and important vestiges of the Roman era, all against the backdrop of the Alps.

Along this route you will also find numerous vineyards boasting prestigious wines, and areas acclaimed for the local PDO produce such as the ham "prosciutto di Bosses" and the lard "lardo di Arnad".

The route is divided into five stages starting at the Great Saint-Bernard pass, at an altitude of 2,450 metres,  on Swiss territory; the path takes you down along the Great Saint-Bernard valley in the direction of Aosta (580 m), the region's capital and city offering a wealth of history and testimonies to the past, then moving on along the central valley to Pont-Saint-Martin where you leave the Aosta Valley to enter the Piedmont region.

It is advisable to take the stage n. 1 in summer (or in the absence of snow at the pass) while those along the central valley are suitable for every season, even for a 2 or 3-day trek to discover the region.

The accommodation "friends of Via Francigena" offer hospitality, also for just one night, with some services particularly useful for those who are on the way: rooms for washing and drying clothes, weather and route information, etc. Moreover, you can get special prices showing the pilgrim's credentials.

Find points of interest on the map:

The numbers on the map link to the detailed sheet of each stage.

At the top left, you can choose the background you prefer:

  • "map" - with or without “relief” (level curves) - showing toponyms and streets
  • “satellite” which presents the satellite image of the area.

At the top right, the funnel-shaped symbol allows you to choose the points of interest along the route to be displayed on the map.
Click on the funnel again to close the legend.
If you wish to find out more, by clicking on the identified point you can access the corresponding descriptive page.