Etroubles, hospitality as a tradition

On the Colle del Gran San Bernardo, in the province of Aosta, 19 km south of the pass, at 1270 m. SlM is Etroubles, a small town of 487 inhabitants located almost 19 km north-east of the capital. Of Roman origin, it was born as a valley camp to become in the Middle Ages one of the main centers along the Via Francigena and a transit place for Napoleon Bonaparte. And it is precisely from its history that it has drawn its current vocation, hospitality, which translates into various types of accommodation facilities that welcome the numerous visitors who populate its streets at any time of the year attracted by the environment, nature, traditions and the nearby ski slopes. The village has been able to preserve its original characteristics by specific choice, aiming at the renovation and redevelopment of the old buildings rather than the construction of new structures that often turn out to be extraneous to the historical-anthropological context. One of the major attractions is the nature trail that follows the Francigena route which originally connected Canterbury to Jerusalem and today connects it to Rome. Etroubles, being equidistant 800 km from both Canterbury and Rome, is halfway along this important pilgrimage path that has always connected the north with the south of Europe, becoming a reference point for international hospitality. Among the symbols of the village there are certainly the Tour de la Vachère, a medieval watchtower dating back to the 12th century, built on Roman foundations. Historically relevant is also the nineteenth-century Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built where the other tower of the town once stood, the Tour de la Tour, and built in part using the demolition stones of the latter. The village is also known for the cultivation and display on the balconies of the houses of flowers, especially geraniums of every color, winning the first prize as a Flowering Municipality, and for the creation of objects obtained through craftsmanship, by hand, of wood. For those who want to dive into culinary atmospheres, the Valle d'Aosta fontina fondue accompanied by black rye bread is a must not to be missed.