Nearly 2000 years later, Napoleon used the same pass to bring his troops into Italy. We’re talking about the St Bernard Pass: a Swisskisafari favourite.
Last week we had a group of Australian snowboarders visiting. Fairly new to snowboarding, they were hungry for culture, curious about alpine history, and wanted to board in safe hands, away from the tourist crowds. We showed them our favourite hidden restaurants, took them to secret corners of the mountain by ski lift where the weather was best, and they had a blast. More importantly, they left with one overwhelming comment: they will never forget the St Bernard monastery, where monks welcomed them in for tea.
Dripping with history, having hosted guests for over 1000 years, this little gem is only accessible on foot. Guarded by monks (like this one on the left), the monastery was for centuries the only welcoming sight on the sole route linking Northern and Southern Europe. It’s now a welcoming sight after a hard morning skiing too, and just the fascinating nugget curious souls will love to explore, before skiing down to a local restaurant for an aperitif and late lunch. We’re wondering if that’s what the elephants did too.
Curious about monks, monasteries and unusual Alpine history? Click here to find out more.
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