Yesterday, Saturday, with his wife and son in about 3 hours drive, almost entirely on the highway, I reached the resort town of Cogne, in the center of the Gran Paradiso National Park, in a majestic mountain scenery of the Valley d'Aosta, under the slopes of Mount Gran Paradiso (4061 m).
After arriving at about 9, and a brief visit to the village of the Municipality of Cogne, everyone we have reached on foot, with a pleasant walk from streams, woods and meadows, the hamlet of Valnontey, located about 3 km west Cogne, along the lovely valley of deep-sea (1600-1800 m) formed by the turbulent and foaming Valnontey.
The day was beautiful, almost without clouds. A bright sun lit up the meadows and pastures of our hike, which went back gently along a path parallel to the stream.
Around 10 we reached the village of Valnontey, facing the beautiful amphitheater of the Gran Paradiso, with its glaciers. This scenario has been with us for most of the day. Around Valnontey we visited some beautiful woods, meadows crossed by several beautiful streams, observed one of the impressive waterfalls in Valnontey.
Around noon we consumed a lunch mountain ", with Valle d'Aosta polenta, mushrooms, local cheeses and meats and then, around 14, we're back down in Cogne, where, in the car we reached the town of Lillaz (2.5 Cogne out) the other side of Valnontey, always under the long mountain range of peaks that make up the eastern slopes of the Gran Paradiso massif, with peaks close to 4000 meters.
Here, after a walk of about 20 minutes, with a rapid rise in the final section, we have achieved, observed and photographed plenty of waterfalls Lillaz, 3 drops of water main rushing for over 3000 meters, with some intermediate jump, pounce and noisy foaming Lillaz to 1700 meters.
The show was very satisfying. Moreover, the entire route of the day, both Valnontey, both Lillaz, both in Cogne, were worthy of smug satisfaction.
Back in Cogne, Lillaz, around 16.30, we made another trip to the lovely and well kept village, then head to a dairy products typical of the area where we bought the Alpine butter, some bits of cheese typical of the Valley, a local sweet, made with chestnut honey called Panettone S. Bear.
Around 17 we left for Pavia, where we arrived a few minutes before 20.
Cogne and its surroundings, in the Gran Paradiso park, are beautiful places, beautiful, surrounded by a pristine environment and great peace of mind. They deserve a holiday at least a few days.
