Winter Activities and Cultural Heritage in Gran Paradiso National Park

Gran Paradiso National Park, established in 1922 across Valle d'Aosta and Piedmont, is promoting off-season tourism with activities like snowshoeing in Val di Rhemes. The park, originally a royal hunting reserve created by King Vittorio Emanuele II in 1856, saved the ibex from extinction. President Mauro Durbano emphasizes that autumn, winter, and spring offer immersive experiences with better wildlife sightings. The Visitor Center in Rhêmes-Notre-Dame features exhibits on the bearded vulture and a virtual reality ascent of Gran Paradiso. Snowshoe excursions, led by official guides, explore animal tracks and cultural sites such as the ancient mill Mulino della Chaudanaz, restored from 1921, and the Church of Bruil (Notre Dame de la Visitation), which became a parish in 1650. The park's ecosystem includes alpine meadows, stone shelters up to 2600 m, and historic trails built by the king.