Aosta Valley Geography

Aosta Valley is Italy's smallest and most mountainous region, framed by three of the Alps' most famous peaks. Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco), the highest summit in the Alps at 4,809 meters, rises on the region's border with France; the Matterhorn (Cervino) marks its border with Switzerland to the north.

To the south, the Gran Paradiso massif sits entirely within Italian territory, its slopes protected as the country's oldest national park. The region's main valley, carved by the Dora Baltea river, runs roughly east-west through Aosta town, with numerous glacial side valleys -- including Valtournenche, Valgrisenche, and Val di Rhêmes -- branching off toward the high peaks.