On the opposite side of the Mont Blanc massif from Chamonix, Courmayeur sits in the northern part of the Aosta Valley at 1,224 metres high. Courmayeur shares the administration of Mont Blanc with its neighbouring municipality of Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains in France. It also shares access to the Vallée Blanche ski run with Chamonix, and two ski lifts give you access to the Aiguille du Midi on the French side during the summer.
Courmayeur doesn’t have the same extensive view as its French counterpart, thanks to its location a few kilometres down the valley from the massif. The village has an Italian feel, with some cobbled streets and stylish shops and cafes, but – unlike Chamonix – out of the peak summer and winter seasons the village is quiet and many facilities are closed. We park in the underground parking at the entrance to the town and follow the many pedestrian crossings towards the tourist office, through the small park with a path made from the names of local mountain guides. The stone for the path came from Val Ferret, fallen from the Grandes Jorasses
Crossing the road on the other side of the park takes us to the main cobbled pedestrian streets. An open piazza with a view over the town is a pleasant place to stop. If you are looking for somewhere quieter to stay in summer than Chamonix, Courmayeur is a good bet.
