Literature – Hotel Aigle Courmayeur Mont Blanc

There is a large literature dedicated to the Mont Blanc. On this page we collect excerpts from what has been produced in literature and poetry of all times to give voice to those who have chanted the beauty, the nature, the history, the stories, life, traditions, characteristics of this unique place.

Valle d’Aosta

“The Aosta Valley, the most beautiful, the richest and the largest of the Hautes-Alpes. It is rich in herds, game, pastures, crops; fertile with chestnut, walnut, almond, and other fruit-bearing plants, especially vines, from whose grapes exquisite wines are pressed; and the fragrant incenses that send flowers and herbs to heaven, and the balmy scents of the pine woods, and the springs that spring up in the midst of pleasant fields, gladden the soul and fill it with infinite sweetness. But what makes man ecstatic are the giants of cliffs and ice that rise majestically; the contrast between the bursting of the glaciers and the roaring of the falls; between the white splendour of the snows and perpetual frosts and the dark and brilliant black of the tremendous and bizarre cliffs; between the shrill cry of the eagles and the peep of the sparrow; between the thick foliage of the dense forests and the gajo green of the prairies.”

Written by G. Alessandro de Goracuchi. The text reported here is the English translation of the 1886 edition published by the Typography of Lloyd Austro-Hungarian publishing house.

An excursion to the Dente del Gigante and descent to Chamonix

“Impossible to describe is the spectacle that awaits the traveller on the excursion of Mont Fréty and the Col du Gigante, once he reaches the summit, something that only the bravest can reach. As soon as dawn begins, you walk along the Saxe baths, leave the village of Entrèves on the left and cross the stream at the village of La Palu. Here the climb begins, and after three hours of walking you are at the top of Mount Fréty, where the guides of Courmayeur had a small house called the Pavillon built. The panorama that presents itself to the eye is already magnificent in itself; an endless number of high mountains line up before the observer, of which the most remarkable are: the Aiguille Rouge, the Aiguille del Gigante, the Grande Jorasse, the Mont-Vélan, the Colle Ferret, the Grivola, the Mont Blanc. He who desires more vigorous sensations, leaves his mount at the Pavillon, and armed with a long staff, climbs the Giant’s Hill. It takes another three hours to make this climb which is painful but not dangerous, and those with good legs and a good head easily reach the top. Once there, you rest for a while: the air is cold, alive, penetrating. The height is 3412 meters; everything is naked, deserted; the lungs breathe another element, man becomes light, airy; it seems to us that an unknown force wants to plunge him into the abyss; no sign of life; not plants, not woods, except for a few meagre lichens; No birds, no insects… nothing… than the bare rock, struck by the vehemence of the elements. Somewhat recovered from fatigue, you can contemplate one by one the surrounding wonders: under your feet, at a depth of 3000 meters, the Val Ferret, the Veni Valley, Courmayeur, the pastures of Pré-Saint-Didier, the Allée-Blanche with its glaciers, its lakes, its streams.

Further on, the eye is lost in a labyrinth of mountains and valleys. In front of you are the Crammont, the Aiguille des Chavannes, the Mont-Sue. To the east are the Matterhorn, the Dente d’Erin, Monte Rosa, the summit of Valtellina. Looking a little to the south, the wild dewlap that separates the Cogne Valley from the Aosta Valley appears, and the Becca della Nona, Monte Emilius, Gran Paradiso, and Aiguille de la Sossiere, all covered with ice, stand out. Further south, the dreary mountains of Champorcher, the Ruitor behind which rises Mount Iseran, the little St. Bernard and a series of snow-capped mountains dominated by the Aiguille de la Vanoise, Mont Thabord, Mont Pelvoux, the Grandes Rousses very near Grenoble, and finally the colossal mass of Mont Blanc, in front of which and to the right rises the Dente or rather the Aiguille du Gigante, which is so well distinguished to admire from the shores of Lake Geneva. It was in this place, between the glaciers of Mont-Fréty in the west and those of Entrèves in the east, that the famous Genevan naturalist De Sassure, in July 1788, stayed sixteen days to make scientific observations. Until a few years ago, the ruins of his hut could still be seen. From this pass, in six hours you can descend to Chamonix. It is prudent not to undertake this race, so as not to expose oneself to the fatigue and dangers encountered in crossing the sea of ice, and it is better to retreat. Except that the daring Scotsman Carus D. Cunningham of Edinburgh crossed the Little St. Berbard and entered Italian territory, headed for Courmayeur and, escorted by three guides from Chamonix and the guide Rey Emilio from Courmayeur, attempted the ascent of the Col di Géant in the middle of winter at the end of January 1882. The ascension is accomplished without a good accident. The talented mountaineer and his escort stayed the night in the hut erected on that hill by the Italian Alpine Club (at 3412 meters above sea level) and the next day, after spending a few hours admiring the stupendous incomparable panorama that can be seen from that peak, the group continued the journey and arrived safely in Chamonix.”

Written by G. Alessandro de Goracuchi. The text reported here is the English translation of the 1886 edition published by the Typography of Lloyd Austro-Hungarian publishing house.

Entrèves is located almost at the entrance of the Val Veny. So it is very easy to reach the valley from Hotel Aigle. By car it is a matter of a few minutes. Just follow the municipal road to Courmayeur and at the crossroads at La Saxe, after about 2 km, take right. The road climbs to the little church of Notre-Dame de la Guerison and then enters the valley. Access by bus from the hotel is just as simple. You need to reach the same crossroads at La Saxe (on foot, by car or other bus) and take the shuttle bus from Courmayeur. The bus takes you to Visaille, an extreme point that can also be reached by car.

Book now

By booking online on our site you are guaranteed the most advantageous rate ever. To find out the exact rates for the desired period and book, you have two options:

click on the button below and access our online booking system

fill in and submit the following booking form