A population of 121,000 and an area of only 3,262 sq km (1,259 sq mi) makes Valle d'Aosta Italy's smallest region, where the world-famous Alps draw thousands of mountain challengers yearly. Valdostans share Mont Blanc with France, the Matterhorn with Switzerland and divide Monte Rosa and the Gran Paradiso with neighbouring Piedmont. The revolutionary Mont Blanc Tunnel connects the popular resorts of Courmayeur and Chamonix, at the same time moving one-third of Italy's total freight out of the country.

A great deal of the region's wilderness areas are protected by the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso, established in 1856 by Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Savoy. He declared the area a royal reserve, restricting hunting and ultimately saving several endangered species. Later, in 1920, his successor, King Vittorio Emanuele III, turned the land into a national park, the main entrances of which are located at Cogne and Villeneuve. Capital city Aosta preserves monuments from Roman times, and the cathedrals are spired and buttressed in the Gothic style. Throughout the valley, sentinel castles keep watch, masquerading as stately homes.