For centuries, the Great St. Bernard Pass was the most popular gateway through the Alpine rampart separating southern and northern Europe. Up its tortuous trails from the Rhone valley climbed tumultuous hordes of Gauls and Germans to sweep down on Italy. And this way, says legend, came Carthaginian Hannibal and his elephants. Climbing the other way, from the beautiful Val d'Aosta, came Caesar's Roman legions intent on conquering tripartite Gaul and planting the legionary eagles on the banks of the Rhine. Nineteen hundred years later, after crushing the Austrians at Marengo, Napoleon and his grenadiers retraced Caesar's path.
Where armies...
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