Charming, restored cottage sleeps 6

At 760m, Fontainemore is a year round destination and its idyllic riverside setting makes a great base to explore the Gressoney Valley, the largest in the province. The historic centre feels timeless as the Lys tumbles under the extraordinary ponte Romano on its journey down from the imposing Monte Rosa glaciers. Around the church and plaza the chatter of Patois can be still heard above the villages many fountains. From here, a myriad of ancient pathways connect nearby hamlets with breathtaking architecture – Chemp, Perloz, Farettaz – and fairytale design - houses built into the rock or atop ‘mushroom stilts'.

Nature here has also left its indelible mark as the Lys carves its way through some of the valley's narrowest parts. Dramatic bridges like Ponte di Moretta span tight gorges and canyons (Orrido di Guillemore) and have carved out rock pools perfect for summer bathing.

The ingenuity of man can be admired via spectacular 'Incan-style' stone terraces that counter the steep sided valley; mule trails pass through and beyond to abandoned ‘ghost villages’. Many still house furniture and tools, acting like museums to a bygone era. Successive generations descended the hardships of the higher slopes, leaving there legacies and livelihoods behind.

The forests, however, are still foraged by locals and animals alike. Here you can find precious porcini mushrooms or witness wild boar and deer in their natural habitat. Most days you can expect to see 'cerbiatti' from your garden. By November, leaves change colour and the scent of roasted chestnuts infuse with conifer on the breeze. It is the last chance to stock the larders before the first snows arrive.

In the higher pastures, shepherds cling to an ancient way of life where cheese and dairy can still be bought at source. With the snow-melt, spring flowers return along with the cattle. By season’s end, the Desarpa (returning from the mountains) is one of the most spectacular Valdostanan sights.

Beyond the pastures lies a wonderland of Alpine lakes and access to some of the best long distance trails in Italy – Alta Via, Tor des Géants, etc. The nearby Monte Mars Reserve and Coumarial provide some of the best back-country skiing, trekking (including a Via Ferrata), snow shoeing and mountain biking in the region.