Great St Bernard Pass & Hospice
Colle del Gran San Bernardo
An ancient Alpine pass at 2,469 meters. The nearly thousand-year-old hospice and its Saint Bernard dogs are the stuff of legend.
The Great St Bernard Pass is an ancient route linking the Aosta Valley with the Swiss canton of Valais. Napoleon led his army across it in 1800. The hospice on the Swiss side was founded in the 11th century by Bernard of Menthon, and monks still live there today. It houses a museum and a church. The famous Saint Bernard rescue dogs also come from here, and in summer visitors can see them at the kennels. At the pass there are alpine lakes, and small restaurants and souvenir shops on both the Italian and Swiss sides. From Aosta, the drive along the SS27 takes about 45 minutes. Crossing into Switzerland requires a passport. In winter, traffic uses the tunnel and the pass road is closed.
Opening hours
Open in summer; almshouse museum approx. June–September
Nearby sights
- Saint-Pierre Castle
- Sarre Royal Castle
- Aymavilles Castle
- Megalithic Area of Saint-Martin-de-Corléans
- Pila
- Regional Archaeological Museum
- Cryptoporticus of Aosta
- Aosta Cathedral