Activities in and around Cogne
Cogne, which is 2.5 km away, can be reached by car, shuttle bus and on foot along a path that becomes a cross-country skiing trail in winter.
In Cogne you can practice downhill skiing and there is a well-equipped winter playground for children, with treadmills and rubber dinghies for daring descents, as well as an outdoor ice-skating rink right in the town square.
To visit:
Gran Paradiso National Park Visitor Centre,
recently renovated, it offers an interactive route with a focus on the relationship between man and the environment, presented as an experimental laboratory with role-playing games and a “sensory space” on the themes of water, landscape, biodiversity, fauna and man.
Maison Gerard Dayné,
one of the greatest examples of Valdostan architecture. Possibility of a guided tour.
Botanical garden Paradisia,
in Valnontey, open from June to September, every day. The peak flowering period is generally between July and August.
Montseuc Nature Trail
high altitude didactic itinerary with 15 observation points and a spectacular viewpoint over the valley of Cogne and the Gran Paradiso; it can be reached by cable car from Cogne.
Geological Park
along the footpath to the Lillaz waterfalls (not to be missed) to learn about the geological structure of the Cogne valley (route equipped for the blind).
The Park
The Gran Paradiso National Park protects an area characterised by a predominantly alpine environment.
In the past, the mountains in the group were engraved and shaped by large glaciers and streams to create the present-day valleys. In the forests of the valley floors, the most frequent trees are larch, mixed with spruce, stone pine and, more rarely, silver fir. As you climb up the slopes, the trees give way to vast alpine pastures, rich in flowers in late spring. Climbing up to the 4061 metres of the Gran Paradiso, rocks and glaciers characterise the landscape.
Valnontey in SUMMER
In summer, it is the starting point for numerous walks of all levels, from gentle strolls in the valley, which can also be done with a pushchair, to more challenging ones, with the sure possibility of spotting animals to the delight of nature photography enthusiasts.
Right next to the hotel there is a small riding school where you can take a leisurely horse ride or a romantic carriage ride.
The best times to see the animals are May and October: autumn is definitely the best season, both because the animals are close at hand and because of the wonderful colours of the mountains.
There is no shortage of mountain bike trails and climbing gyms.
Valnontey in WINTER
In Valnontey, the start of the slopes is just a stone’s throw from the hotel: a 5 km loop with the possibility of continuing to Cogne or Lillaz; Cogne and all the villages are in fact linked by the slopes.
Those who don’t ski can walk along the valley floor paths already beaten by snowshoers, or with snowshoes. Alternatively, there is a romantic carriage ride starting right next to the hotel.
Valnontey offers, for enthusiasts, the possibility of ice climbing with its numerous waterfalls (50 of the over 150 present in the entire Cogne area!). Cogne is one of the most renowned centres for cross-country skiing with over 45 km of trails, with several rings in the meadows of St Orso and in all the villages. (see the slopes of the Cogne ski area).
