{"id":340,"date":"2026-07-02T15:35:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitgsb.it\/home-page-new\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T11:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T10:23:02","slug":"home-page-new","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.visitgsb.it\/en\/","title":{"rendered":"Home page"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n

Practical information, travel conditions, traditions, and local products of the Upper Gran San Bernardo Valley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Access, Border Crossings & Mobility<\/h3>\n
\nWhat is the difference between the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Tunnel (T2), and when are they open?<\/summary>\n
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The Great St. Bernard Pass<\/a> and the Great St. Bernard Tunnel (T2) are two different road links between Italy and Switzerland (Canton of Valais).<\/p>\n

The Great St. Bernard Pass<\/a> is located at an elevation of 2,473 meters along State Road 27 (SS27). It is a free-to-cross Alpine pass, open approximately from early June to the second half of October, depending on snow conditions and snow-clearing operations. From late October to late May, the road beyond the village of Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses is blocked and closed to vehicular traffic due to meters of snow and the risk of avalanches. At the pass are the hospice founded around the year 1050 by St. Bernard of Aosta, the archaeological and natural history museum, the alpine lake, and the summer breeding facility for St. Bernard dogs managed by the Fondation Barry. <\/p>\n

The Great St. Bernard Tunnel (T2) is a 5,798-meter-long transalpine toll road tunnel. The southern entrance is at an elevation of 1,875 meters in Italy (Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses), and the northern entrance is at an elevation of 1,918 meters in Bourg-Saint-Pierre. The tunnel is open 24 hours a day, year-round. During the winter and spring months, it is the only road link between the valley and the Canton of Valais. The toll is managed by the concessionaires SITRASB and TGSB and can be paid in cash (euros or Swiss francs) or by credit card. Traveling north from Aosta along State Route 27, the junction between the covered tunnel ramp and the hairpin turns of the state route leading to the pass is signposted after the hamlet of Cerisey. <\/p>\n

More details are available on the page dedicated to the Great St. Bernard Pass<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nHow do you get there, and how do you get around by public transportation from Aosta to \u00c9troubles, Saint-Oyen, and Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses?<\/summary>\n
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The public bus service operated by Arriva Italia (formerly SAVDA) provides regular service between the city of Aosta and the three municipalities<\/a> in the Upper Gran San Bernardo Valley.<\/p>\n

The departure terminal is located at the Aosta Bus Station on Via Giorgio Carrel, in the plaza in front of the train station. The buses travel along State Road 27 and make stops in the towns and hamlets of \u00c9troubles<\/a> (1,270 m), Saint-Oyen<\/a> (1,373 m), and Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses<\/a> (1,632 m). The travel time from Aosta ranges from 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the stop. <\/p>\n

The service offers daily trips with departures spread throughout the day on weekdays and reduced service on Sundays and holidays. The stops along State Route 27 allow travelers to move between the three towns even without a car. Seasonal schedules and ticket fares are available on the website aosta.arriva.it<\/a> or by contacting the call center at +39 035 289000. Service ends in the early evening; there are no scheduled nighttime public transit services. <\/p>\n

All contact information and service hours are listed on the Info and Contact<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nIs there a summer shuttle service to the Great St. Bernard Pass, and what local taxi or private car services are available?<\/summary>\n
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During the peak summer season (July and August), some daily trips on the Arriva bus line extend their route from Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses to the summit of the Great St. Bernard Pass<\/a>, at an elevation of 2,473 meters. At the pass, passengers can transfer to Swiss postal buses (CarPostal) bound for Orsi\u00e8res and Martigny. This extension is available only during the summer opening period of the state highway. <\/p>\n

For evening travel, multi-stage trips along the Via Francigena<\/a>, luggage transport, or picking up hikers and ski mountaineers at the valley floor, two authorized car rental with driver (NCC) and taxi operators based in \u00c9troubles are available: Silvia Alberti (phone +39 329 7054994) and Guido Letey (phone +39 338 3531650). Rides and fares must be arranged or booked by phone in advance.<\/p>\n

Information about transportation and accommodations can be found on the Info and Contacts<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nWhat winter equipment is required for vehicles traveling along State Highway 27 (SS27) on the Great St. Bernard Pass?<\/summary>\n
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From October 15 to April 15, winter tires that have been approved (marked M+S, MS, or 3PMSF) or to carry snow chains compatible with the tires on the vehicle and ready for use.<\/p>\n

The road rises above 1,270 meters above sea level at \u00c9troubles, 1,632 meters at Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses, and 1,875 meters at the tunnel entrance: nighttime frosts and sudden snowfalls occur regularly in late fall and early spring. The Traffic Police and the Carabinieri conduct systematic inspections along the route. Driving without the required equipment results in administrative fines and a ban on continuing the journey until the vehicle is brought into compliance. <\/p>\n

To check real-time road conditions before heading to the Cr\u00e9vacol<\/a> or Flassin<\/a> resorts, check out the webcams<\/a> and the ” Winter on the Snow<\/a>” section.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Food and Wine & Culinary Traditions<\/h3>\n
\nWhat are the characteristics of the Vall\u00e9e d’Aoste Jambon de Bosses DOP? Where can you buy it, and how can you tour the facility?<\/summary>\n
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The Vall\u00e9e d’Aoste Jambon de Bosses PDO<\/a> is a high-altitude raw ham produced and aged in Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses at an elevation of 1,632 meters. Its production is documented in an accounting record from 1397, preserved in the archives of the Great St. Bernard Hospice. It was granted Protected Designation of Origin status in 1996. <\/p>\n

It is made from hand-processed Italian heavy-breed pork legs, dry-cured with sea salt, and flavored with pepper, garlic, juniper berries, and wild thyme harvested from local hillsides. The curing process lasts at least 12 months (with select batches reaching 24 or 30 months) and takes place in Saint-Rh\u00e9my, where the hams are laid on beds of mountain hay, taking advantage of the dry air and ventilation of the mountain pass. <\/p>\n

Jambon de Bosses DOP can be purchased and enjoyed in Saint-Rh\u00e9my-en-Bosses at the Sous le Pont de Bosses ham shop and La Botecca di Gourmandise<\/a> in the hamlet of Predumaz at Falcoz 22 (phone +39 0165 780611 \/ +39 333 5756350), as well as in restaurants<\/a> and shops throughout the valley. The De Bosses aging facility, located in the village, is open to individuals and groups by appointment, which can be made by phone or online. <\/p>\n

Learn more about the history and production of Lo Jambon de Bosses DOP<\/a> on the La Vall\u00e9e des Jambons<\/a> website.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nHow is Saint-Oyen\u2019s charcoal-grilled ham prepared, who makes it, and when is the annual festival held?<\/summary>\n
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Saint-Oyen Charcoal-Grilled Ham<\/a> is a high-quality charcoal-grilled cooked ham (with a moisture content of less than 76.5%), recognized as a Traditional Agri-Food Product (PAT) of the Aosta Valley. It is the only cooked ham produced within the Aosta Valley region. <\/p>\n

The production process uses fresh, boned, and hand-trimmed legs from Italian heavy-breed pigs. The meat is seasoned with salt, Alpine herbs, organic honey from the Aosta Valley, and G\u00e9n\u00e9py liqueur, then tied by hand with string. It is slowly steamed for 24 hours and then roasted over hot coals in a wood-fired oven fueled by wood from the Aosta Valley forests. As it rotates over the glowing coals, the ham is constantly basted with craft beer produced in \u00c9troubles by Les Bi\u00e8res du Grand-Saint-Bernard<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The ham is produced by Prosciuttificio 2473 in Saint-Oyen, whose name refers to the elevation of the Great St. Bernard Pass. It is eaten thinly sliced as an appetizer or served in thick, warm slices with polenta or mountain potatoes. The Grilled Ham Festival<\/a> is organized by the Pro Loco of Saint-Oyen every year on the first weekend of August in the Flassin park, featuring wood-fired ovens and food stands. <\/p>\n

To learn more, visit the ” Grilled Ham from Saint-Oyen<\/a> ” page and the ” La Vall\u00e9e des Jambons<\/a>” section.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nHow is Fontina DOP from alpine pastures made, and where can you visit the historic production sites?<\/summary>\n
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Fontina DOP<\/a> is a full-fat, semi-cooked cheese made exclusively from raw whole milk from cows of the Valdostana breed (red spotted, black spotted, and chestnut). Production begins within two hours of milking, without pasteurization or additives. <\/p>\n

Fontina d\u2019alpeggio is produced from late June to late September in alpine pastures located between 1,700 and 2,400 meters above sea level (such as Barasson, Merdeux, and Menouve), where the herds graze on summer alpine pastures. The minimum aging period is 90 days at approximately 10\u00b0C on spruce planks, with a constant humidity level above 90%. The historic aging cellars, carved out of the tunnels of the old copper mines, can be visited in Valpelline at the Visitor Center of the Cooperativa Produttori Latte e Fontina. <\/p>\n

In \u00c9troubles stands the Old Turnaria Dairy, founded in 1853, the first cooperative dairy in the Aosta Valley. The building houses an ethnographic museum featuring copper kettles, churns, and original tools used to produce Fontina, butter, and s\u00e9ras. Guided tours of the dairy museum can be arranged by contacting the \u00c9troubles Municipal Library (phone +39 0165 789101).<\/p>\n

Find out more about local cheeses on the page \u201cLa Fontina DOP and Alpine Cheeses<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n

\nWhat are the Sagre del Gusto festivals in the Upper Great St. Bernard Valley, and when do they take place?<\/summary>\n
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The Upper Valley Food Festivals<\/a> are three summer events dedicated to the region\u2019s food and wine products:<\/p>\n