It was only in the 1960s that the route as far as Täsch was made into a proper road. Zermatt town council agreed that cars would not be allowed into town, and in 1972 the inhabitants rejected a proposal for a public road to Zermatt. So the town remains car-free, although the silent electric vehicles used throughout town are arguably far more dangerous as they sneak up behind unsuspecting pedestrians. In 1979 the Klein Matterhorn cable car, at 3820m the highest in Europe, was completed.
Breuil-Cervinia
Breuil was the original name of this village, nestled at the top of the valley under the slopes of Monte Cervino and frequented since Roman times. ‘Cervinia’ was the name given by the fascists under Mussolini during World War II, when they wanted to destroy the long-standing Francophile culture of the Aosta region. The Valdôtain people (of the Aosta Valley) refused this attempted reversal of their culture and took up arms, retreating to the hills and waging a war of resistance. After the liberation most places resumed their French names, but at Breuil-Cervinia they kept both names – presumably the incorporation of the Italian name for the Matterhorn, Cervino, was regarded as a good tourist attraction.
Breuil-Cervinia is a fairly typical resort town with a mix of old and new. The church sports a rather fine sundial and there are some attractive houses, but in general the architecture is not exceptional.
Gressoney St Jean and Gressoney la Trinité
Gressoney St Jean is a located on a wide, lush plain. The surrounding landscape is very interesting because of the excellent view of the majestic mountain ranges and of the Liskamm Glacier, from which the Lys river emerges and runs down the valley.
In the centre of the village some well-preserved Walser houses surround the parish church, dedicated to St John the Baptist. This church was rebuilt in 1725 on the ruins of a previous edifice dating from 1515. Its roof has a big overhang, and the 16th-century bell tower is characterised by a spire and mullion windows. In the parish museum visitors can admire a big crucifix dating back to the middle of the 13th century, probably one of the oldest masterpieces in the Aosta Valley. Not far from the village centre is a charming small lake, whose emerald green water reflects numerous mountain peaks. In 1894 Queen Margherita ordered a castle (Castel Savoia) to be built in this panoramic spot, known nowadays as ‘Belvedere’, and often holidayed here. One of the best examples of Walser culture is undoubtedly the women’s traditional red and black costume with a white blouse trimmed with lace and a precious bonnet made of golden filigree. These can be seen during local festivals, one of which is St John’s Feast that begins on the evening of 23 June, when fires are lit in different villages, and lasts for three days. On this occasion the inhabitants of Gressoney go to Mass wearing their traditional costumes.
Gressoney la Trinité has limited facilities – pharmacy, hotels, a shop. Gressoney St Jean has far more, including some quite unexpected shops for such a small town, and there is a regular bus service between the two villages. Between Gressoney la Trinité and Gressoney St Jean there is a marble quarry.
Alagna
Officially named Alagna Valsesia, this charming village (an ancient Walser settlement) is situated in the upper Valsesia at 1205m and is one of the most important ski resorts in Piedmont. Nestling at the foot of Monte Rosa, it is also the starting point for a number of beautiful mountain walks. The village is full of reminders of its Walser origins. In the hamlet of Pedemonte, just a short way from the centre of Alagna, is the Walser Museum, a wonderful record of Walser life. There are also the remains of a 16th-century castle.
The chapel at Otro (Stage 4) sports a typical fresco
The parish church of St John the Baptist in the centre of Alagna is also well worth a visit. The present church was built on the site of an older chapel dating from 1511, and the main altar is an authentic masterpiece of 17th-century baroque work. The village is known for its wood art, and there is evidence of the skilled work of traditional wood artists who were active up and down the Valsesia Valley. There is also a history of mining at Alagna. The main evidence for this is the feldspar mine seen on the road up to Rifugio Pastore, but at one time gold was also mined here.
On the far side of the centre of Alagna lie the hamlets of Dosso, Piane, Rusa and Goreto, typical Walser settlements where little churches provide the centrepoint for a cluster of baite, the Walser chalets.
The whole of this area falls under the protection of the Upper Valsesia National Park.
Macugnaga
The small town of Macugnaga feels far from anywhere. If you have to bail out from here it’s actually easier to get back to Switzerland than to the Italian valleys further along the trek.
Macugnaga has a colourful past, being not only a high Alpine settlement but also having a history of goldmining. That is long gone now and the town survives mainly on its winter season when people come to ski under the slopes of Monte Rosa. Again the Walser community has made its mark, and there are several fine examples of Walser architecture.
The town is centred round its main square where most of the hotels and bars are situated. As soon as you leave the square you enter quiet old side streets, the silence only broken by the roar of the Anza torrent, swelled by glacial melt during the summer months.
Wildlife and vegetation
Plants and flowers
The plants and flowers encountered on any trek vary throughout the year, and even though an Alpine trek of this nature can only be done as a regular walk during the summer months there is a huge change in vegetation between late June and late September. Early on in the summer season the lower slopes around the villages will be a blaze of colour as all the meadow flowers are in bloom up to around 2000m – trumpet gentians, pasque flowers, alpenrose, vetch, martagon lilies…a perfect time to be walking at lower altitudes.
Higher up there may still be nevé remaining from winter, and most slopes will only just be snow-free, so the flowers will not yet be in bloom. As the summer progresses many of the lower meadows will be scythed for haymaking, but above 2000m the flowers will start to bloom. Again the alpenrose – a member of the azalea family – is prevalent, covering the slopes from about 1500 to 2500m. Its pink flowers make a wonderful backdrop for hiking, and trekking in the Alps when these flowers are in season is an absolute joy. Many Alpine flowers that grow at lower altitudes will also be found here, but in a smaller and more intensely coloured form. The houseleeks that grow on the rocks, astrantia and orange hawksbeard are all Alpine versions of regular garden flowers. Above 2500–3000m are the real Alpine gems, tiny jewel-like flowers, so small that they get lost in the rocky crevices. These have a very short growing season of about six weeks before the return of the snows. Hence their miniature, energy-efficient size, and bright colours to maximise their attractiveness to pollinating insects. Look out for starry blue gentians and clumps of pink rock jasmine on the high rocky passes, as well as the rare King of the Alps which you may be lucky enough to spot on a couple of the cols. Scree slopes are often home to the amazing purple and orange toadflax, while on the highest ground you’ll find the pinky white buttercup-like flowers of the glacier crowsfoot, allegedly the flower that grows at the highest altitude in the Alps.
The flower everyone expects to see is the edelweiss and you should spot some somewhere along this trek, providing it is not too early in the season – it doesn’t generally bloom before mid-July. Although the edelweiss has become known as the classic Alpine flower, many people are disappointed at first sight – its white furry bracts can appear rather grey. Look closely, however, and you’ll see that the real flower is the yellow centre, and seen in sunlight it is rather fine.