In the middle of summer, with temperatures in Milan defying the limits of what is bearable, often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, the decision to take a short five-day holiday in the French Alps came as a breath of fresh air. So begins the story of our trip, a getaway to the cool and quiet of the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle and the heat of the city.
Les Arc 1960, San Maurizio – and a fairytale home
Les Arc 1960, a hidden gem of the French Alps near San Maurizio, was the destination of choice for our next five days. On Airbnb we found an apartment in a hotel, right in the heart of Les Arc 1960. After a long drive, once we arrived at our destination, fatigue seemed to evaporate in the face of the panorama that opened up outside the windows: mountain ridges, dotted with green pastures and blue skies, where clouds played in the gentle rays of the sun.
From Milan to San Maurizio by car, a route that steals your eyes
The route from Milan to Borgo San Maurizio was an unparalleled visual experience. We left early to enjoy the quiet ride and avoid the afternoon heat waves. Passing through Lombardy, then the Piedmont area, we encountered landscapes that seemed endless, from the greenery of the plains to the majesty of the mountains that bordered our journey.
The border between Italy and France, a smooth crossing in a fairytale setting
Arriving at the border between Italy and France, we were pleasantly surprised by the fluidity of the crossing, without controls, in a natural setting that encouraged us to stop and immortalise the scenery with a photograph. High mountains with ridges partly covered by
snow, even in midsummer, and green valleys stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was clean and fresh, a refreshing mix of mountain breeze and warm summer breeze.
Little Saint Bernard Pass
We had just entered France and stopped at Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo, a place steeped in history and legend. Here, in the past, travellers and merchants passed through in search of new markets, and today, tourists from all over the world come to admire the beauty and lose themselves in the stories of the place.
The Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo, located at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, is where the Aosta Valley in Italy and the Tarentaise Valley in France meet. The scenery is simply magnificent, offering a view of wooded mountains and rocky heights that take on an almost mystical hue in the sunlight. In this oasis of tranquillity, history is interwoven with local legends of St Bernard’s dogs, famous for rescuing lost travellers. Even now, their image warms the soul and reminds us of traditional mountain hospitality.
Arriving at our destination, the first few days in the Borgo San Maurizio region, at over 2000 metres altitude, were a detox for body and soul. The coolness of the mountain, the fresh air and the prevailing tranquillity positively recharged our batteries. But the story of our trip is just beginning, and we will tell you about other wonders we saw during our days in this corner of the French Alps.
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