Economy
The Aosta Valley remained agricultural and pastoral until the construction of hydroelectric dams brought metalworking industry to the region.
Agriculture has become increasingly specialised, retaining only a marginal interest in cereals, potatoes and fruit. Wines of high quality are produced in small quantities. All are entitled to the Denominazione di origine controllata (Valle d'Aosta DOC / Vallée d'Aoste DOC). Animal feed crops supply the region's dairy herds, some 40000 head in 2000, which are pastured in the high Alps during the summer period. The region's cheeses are renowned throughout Italy. Virtually no other form of stock rearing is practised.
Tourism is one of the strongest points of the region's economy. The valley's natural beauty, its peaceful atmosphere in summer and snow in winter have allowed the development of a flourishing tourism industry centred on winter sports, most famously at Courmayeur and Cervinia.
The upper Aosta Valley is the traditional southern starting-point for the tracks, then roads, which divided here to lead over the Alpine passes. The road through the Great St Bernard Pass (or today the Great St Bernard Tunnel) leads to Martigny, Valais, and the one through the Little St Bernard Pass to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Savoie. Today Aosta is joined to Chamonix in France by the Mont Blanc Tunnel, a road tunnel on European route E25 running underneath the mountain.
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