Think Alps, think Fair Isle knits, flushed-cheeked skiers, bubbling fondue and a scene that appears as heavily iced as a Christmas cake. And for part of the year, that’s an apt assumption. But the impressive peaks of Northern Italy are also home to a hidden magic, one that’s too easily bypassed by those who place this area firmly in the ‘winter holiday’ box.

Yes, I’m talking, very simply, about summer. Visit the mountainous region of Aosta Valley (or Valle D’Aosta) in the warmer months and find a landscape transformed. A stone’s throw from Chamonix and occupying a nook to the southwest of Switzerland, when snow remains only on the tallest peaks of Mont Blanc, the valley becomes accessible in myriad joyful ways for those who don’t want to travel solely en piste.