Page 222 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

220  NOR THWEST IT AL Y

6 Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso

A breathtaking wilderness of dramatic
mountains and lush meadows, the Gran
Paradiso is Italy’s foremost national park,
created in 1922 from part of a former royal
hunting reserve of the House of Savoy.
It is mainly a summer resort for walkers due
to its unspoiled scenery, rare wildlife and
unusual Alpine flowers, though there is
also cross-country skiing during the winter
months. The king of the park is the ibex, a Castello di Aymavilles
relative of the goat family all but extinct in The 18th-century core of this
the rest of Europe. The park is also prized castle is framed by medieval
by naturalists for its chamois, ptarmigan, corner towers. Aosta
golden eagles, rare butterflies and marmots. Arvier
Villenuve Aymavilles
Pondel

Rhêmes-
St-George val di
R47 cogne
val di rhemes val che Valsavarenche

Rhêmes- savaren J
Notre-Dame Col Lauson Valnontey
Eaux-Rousses
J
Val di Rhêmes-Notre-Dame Piccolo
This peaceful and broad valley offers J Paradiso
magnificent scenery, with waterfalls valnontey
and fast-flowing streams running Pont 3,923 m
from the glacier at its head. Gran (12,867
Paradiso ft)
4,061 m
(13,320
ft)

Noasca
KEY
Ceresole Reale
1 Goletta Waterfall is an
impressive cascade near the
Lago di Goletta.
2 Cogne is the main resort and a
good base from which to explore the
park. Maps of the park’s routes and
foot paths are available here.
3 Lillaz is sedate and off the beaten
track, while Valnontey and Cogne are 0 kilometres 5
two of the busiest resorts. 0 miles 5

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp565–9 and pp584–90

220-221_EW_Italy.indd 220 4/5/17 10:23 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.8)
Date 23rd July 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm