Great St Bernard Attractions
In Switzerland and in Italy
Height of pass: 2,469 m/8,101ft
The road over the Great St Bernard pass, between the Mont Blanc group and the Valais Alps, the highest pass road in the Swiss Alps after the Umbrail road, is for the most part excellently engineered (maximum gradient 11%), but is usually open only from the middle or end of June until October. The drive through the defiles of the Drance valley on the north side and above all the descent from the rugged world of the mountains into the southern beauty of the Aosta valley is a great scenic experience.
The construction of the St Bernard tunnel (5,828 m/19,122ft long, carriageway 7.5 m/25ft; toll) in 1959-63 made the road passable throughout the year and shortened the distance between western Switzerland and Italy in winter by several hundred kilometers.
This ancient and historic traffic route was used by the Celts, from 105 B.C. onwards by the Romans, in 547 by the Lombards and later by many German emperors traveling to Italy (Charlemagne in 773, Henry IV on his journey to Canossa in 1077, Frederick Barbarossa in 1175). In May 1800 Napoleon led an army of 30,000 men over the pass to Aosta and Milan in order to expel the Austrians from Italy (Battle of Marengo).
Height of pass: 2,469 m/8,101ft
The road over the Great St Bernard pass, between the Mont Blanc group and the Valais Alps, the highest pass road in the Swiss Alps after the Umbrail road, is for the most part excellently engineered (maximum gradient 11%), but is usually open only from the middle or end of June until October. The drive through the defiles of the Drance valley on the north side and above all the descent from the rugged world of the mountains into the southern beauty of the Aosta valley is a great scenic experience.
The construction of the St Bernard tunnel (5,828 m/19,122ft long, carriageway 7.5 m/25ft; toll) in 1959-63 made the road passable throughout the year and shortened the distance between western Switzerland and Italy in winter by several hundred kilometers.
This ancient and historic traffic route was used by the Celts, from 105 B.C. onwards by the Romans, in 547 by the Lombards and later by many German emperors traveling to Italy (Charlemagne in 773, Henry IV on his journey to Canossa in 1077, Frederick Barbarossa in 1175). In May 1800 Napoleon led an army of 30,000 men over the pass to Aosta and Milan in order to expel the Austrians from Italy (Battle of Marengo).
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Bourg-St-Pierre (Grand Combin)
The little town of Bourg-St-Pierre contains some interesting old buildings, including the parish church and an 11th C tower.
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Great St Bernard Pass
The Great St Bernard Pass has been an important route through the Alps since ancient times.
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Great St Bernard Tunnel
A scenic road runs from Bourg-St-Pierre to Bourg-St-Bernard, at the entrance to the Great St Bernard tunnel.
Road
The road over the Great St Bernard runs southwest over the Alpine meadows, strewn with rock debris, of the Plan de Proz to the Cantine d'en Haut (1,905 m/6,250ft), and from there through a wild gorge, the Pas de Marengo, to the huts of Hospitalet (2,100 m/6,899ft). After crossing the Drance on the Pont Nudry (2,190 m/7,185ft) it winds its way up to the pass through the desolate Combe des Morts, which is filled with snow right into the height of summer.
