Whether walking a dog, arguing on a cell phone with a banker or speaking with a fellow diner by twirling fingertips-much of life here appears as visual theater.

View of geraniums and Alps from Courmayeur, Val d'Aosta, Italy T. Even the Deodata Arte gallery includes-of course-a sculpture of the word Amore. Love and tension (and the word ciao) are ubiquitous. Prominent gesticulating conversations are snippets of cultural expression posters advertise not yoga, but yoga per tutti (everyone). to bake a few bread loaves before tramping out to tend her garden. That svelte woman selling dirt coated carrots? She likely woke at 5:30 a.m.

Open air market vendors are generally understated and don’t advertise their products as ‘organic,’ although many are seriously so. The town has ample café bars-down-ho, such as Mont Blanc Bakery (try the crostatine marmellata with an espresso) or upscale like the Grand Hotel Royal e Golf (that’s really a name). They appear lean, fit, hardy and determined, but also stylish-flaunting bella figura attire such as Osprey daypacks, colorful Scarpa walking shoes, Bollé sunglasses, Komperdell walking sticks and Courmayeur caps.įood, amazing food, is woven into local culture-not flaunted, but expected. For example, each morning throngs of visitors leave town to hike on mountain trails. Being Italian differentiates this town from similar French and Swiss Alpine resorts. The economy here is focused on visitors-mostly skiers during winter and hikers during summer. Mullenĭriving west of Aosta you will pass through at least a half dozen tunnels that ramp increasingly upward as they approach the Alpine town of Courmayeur. Roman Augustus Arch and modern buildings in the town of Aosta, italy T.

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