Plucky Italian soldiers, outnumbered 100 to one, fought off Napoleon’s army for two weeks here in 1800; the French emperor was so piqued he razed the fortress to the ground. The current 1830s Savoy replacement is, rest assured, as imposing as ever, set high up upon a rocky escarpment at the jaws of the Valle d’Aosta. It makes for a great day's diversion from skiing or hiking at around 70 minutes from Aosta by bus.
Ride up a series of super-modern panoramic lifts, where you can admire the inspiring Alpine views and visit the Vallée Culture rooms, which offer interesting nuggets of information on Aosta’s history and traditions. The Museo delle Alpi , a clever, interactive museum, takes you on an journey across the entire Alps – children love the Flight of the Eagle, a cinematic simulation of a bird's flight over valleys, villages, lakes and snow-capped peaks. The fort’s prisons , which were still in use right up until the end of WW2, can also be visited (adult/reduced €4/3) and there's an excellent program of big-ticket 20th-century art and photography shows.
