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Stemma di Cogne

Aosta Valley · Aosta Valley

Cogne

The mining town turned capital of the Gran Paradiso, the Aosta Valley's largest commune with 95 percent of its land inside Italy's oldest park.

Known for

  • GRAN PARADISO

    Southern capital of Italy's oldest national park, established 1922, with 95 percent of the commune inside park boundaries.

  • NORDIC SKIING

    Forty kilometers of cross-country tracks on the Prato di Sant'Orso, a long-running stop on the international Nordic circuit.

  • THE IRON MINES

    Magnetite extracted at the Colonna mine above the village until 1979, when closure ended the industrial chapter and the ski economy took over.

When to visit

Best · Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar

  • J1°
  • F4°
  • M4°
  • A7°
  • M12°
  • J18°
  • J22°
  • A22°
  • S17°
  • O12°
  • N6°
  • D2°
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.

Why come

Cogne sits at 1,534 meters on the Grand Eyvia torrent, the largest commune in the Aosta Valley by surface area and the southern gateway to the Gran Paradiso National Park. More than 95 percent of its territory falls inside the park, established in 1922 as Italy's first. Until 1979 this was an iron-mining town: magnetite was extracted from the Colonna mine above the village and carried down by cableway and rail to the foundries in Aosta.

When the mines closed, the village pivoted to cross-country skiing and ice climbing. The Prato di Sant'Orso, the flat meadow at the foot of the village, holds 40 kilometers of groomed Nordic tracks in winter and grazing cattle in summer. The Cascate di Lillaz, three drops totaling roughly 150 meters along the Urtier, freeze solid between December and March and draw climbers to more than 150 ice routes on the surrounding walls. The parish church of Sant'Orso fronts the centro storico.

The Sunday letter

We haven’t written Cogne’s letter yet.

One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.

How to get there

From Turin (TRN), about 2 hours by car.

Milan (BGY) is about 3h 13m away.

By car from the centre of Genoa 3h 22m.

Driving in is restricted: there is a limited traffic zone here (centro storico). Check the signs and the times before you drive into the centre.

Every town within reach of Turin airport.

Cogne — photo 1
Cogne — photo 2

What to see

  • Prato di Sant'Orso

    Flat alpine meadow at the foot of the village facing the Gran Paradiso, used for grazing in summer and 40 kilometers of cross-country ski tracks in winter.

  • Cascate di Lillaz

    Three-tiered waterfall on the Urtier torrent in the hamlet of Lillaz, around 150 meters total drop, a major ice-climbing site in winter.

  • Chiesa di Sant'Orso

    Parish church in the centro storico dedicated to the patron saint, fronting the village square.

  • Miniere di Cogne

    Magnetite iron mines worked from the Middle Ages until 1979, with the Colonna site above the village now open as a museum and guided tour.

  • Valnontey

    Side valley climbing toward the glaciers of the Gran Paradiso massif, home to the Giardino Alpino Paradisia botanical garden.

  • Gimillan

    Hamlet above the village with a viewpoint over the Pré de Saint Ours, the Valnontey and the pyramid of the Grivola.

The slow-trip planner

Building a trip? Find where Cogne fits in a slow Italy circuit.

Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.

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We recommend

Where to eat and stay

Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.

  • Le Petit BellevueRistorante

    One Michelin star for Le Petit Bellevue, along with two Gambero Rosso forks (83/100) and a place in L'Espresso's Top 300.

  • Coeur de BoisRistorante

    A Gambero Rosso listing for Coeur de Bois, and a spot in the Michelin Guide.

  • Bar à FromageRistorante

    Bar à Fromage has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.

  • Lou RessignonRistorante

    Lou Ressignon holds a spot in the Michelin Guide.

  • Bellevue Hotel & SpaHotel

    Bellevue Hotel & Spa holds two Michelin Keys and a place on Italy's historic-locali register.

  • Hotel MiramontiHotel

    Hotel Miramonti holds a place on Italy's historic-locali register.

Living here

  • Population 1,320
  • Off the beaten pathi
  • Pharmacy in town
  • Nearest airport Turin, 1 h 58 min drive
  • Regional capital Aosta, 37 min drive

Common questions

What is Cogne known for?
Cogne is the mining town turned capital of the Gran Paradiso, the Aosta Valley's largest commune with 95 percent of its land inside Italy's oldest park.
Where is Cogne?
Cogne is a comune in the province of Aosta Valley, in Aosta Valley, at 1534 meters above sea level.
What is the nearest airport to Cogne?
Turin (TRN), about 2 hours by car.
How long is the drive from Genoa to Cogne?
About 3h 22m by car.
When is the best time to visit Cogne?
Best in Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. July is the warmest month, averaging 22 degrees, and June the wettest, with about 17 rain days.
Which other towns are like Cogne?
Valtournenche, Ayas and Canazei.
How many people live in Cogne?
1,320 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

The numbers

  • Elevation: 1534 m
  • Population: 1,320
  • Surface area: 213.04 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

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