Rock Climbing in Italy – Aosta Valley

Rain in Chamonix…  Well lets just go Rock climbing in Italy!!   Amazing how with a 20 minutes drive you can get to Italy where it is generally much sunnier and warmer than in Chamonix.  You head through the Mont Blanc tunnel (Yes a tunnel though the mountain) in to Aosta Valley in Italy.   Another hour down the road you get to the small village of Arand.  This town is stacked with lots of good sport climbing options, from single pitch to 250m multi-pitch routes.  All well bolted and on impecable rock.   Day 1 we went single pitch climbing and Day 2 we climbed a 10 pitch 5c up “Il Paretone” called Diretta al Banano.  An excellent climb with lots of exporsure and huge friendly holds.  At the top of the route you can either walk back down the quick way to the base or take the more cultural route.  This leads through a 600 year old monastary and down an ancient coble stone road which apprently was used by Napoleans army to attack the Forte di Bard just down the valley.

If you head out to sport climb in the Aosta Valley make sure to stay at the Maison de Noe.  This was such a great suprise we found.  A local mountain guide bought and rebuilt a 400 year old house which had been abandoned for 100 years already.  Beautiflu space with so much character.