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follow the signs hooray!Courmayeur
"Courmayeur"
At an elevation of 1.224 metres, protected by the enormously high cliffs of rock and ice from the cold north wind. Courmayeur today almost entirely occupies the wide vale of the last western section of the Aosta valley, which identifies itself in the Valdigne, the old name of the upper section of the valley, from Arvier to the Courmayeur basin. Being at the summit of the Region at 37 km from Aosta. Courmayear was already known and frequented by the Salassi and the Romans for its lead and silver mines and the gold bearing sand of the dora at Veny.
The origin of the first settlement is not very well know but it certainly goes back to very ancient times The first colonists called it “Auri Fodinae:.
The present name seems to be derived from the Latin “Curtis Major”(gathering of homesteads).
The transformation of Courmayeur from a military and mining settlement to a tourist centre took place in the 17th century.
Long before the conquest of the Mont Blanc.
Thanks to the discovery of the therapeutic qualities of its mineral waters and thermal springs. The fame of the localitly spread rapidly in attracting tourists from all parts of Europe. The three principal sources were named Vittoria, Regina and Margherita. In homage to the regent of the house of Savoy who had strongly supported the beginning of the thermal springs activity.
Towards the end of the 18th century interest in the first Alpine explorations, riding the wave of the conquest of Mont Blanc, gave a new impulse to the development of the sleepy Spa and very soon, Courmayeur became a rival of its “twins” Chamonix (France) in attraction the new tourists who were interested in Alpinism and exploration off the mountains.
The inauguration in the early years of the 20th century of the railway up to Pré-Saint Didier placed the enchanting Vale at the foot of Mont Blanc among the most renowned of the Alpine tourist localities. The glacier cable railway, the motorway tunnels and its great skiing potential, make modern Courmayeur one of the major European resorts fro mountain sports.
