Aosta is the first town you'll hit in Italy if you cross the Alps from the French resort of Chamonix.

Aosta's position as a cultural crossroads goes back to Celtic times. In the first century AD it was the Roman town of "Augusta Praetoria." Its medieval days ruled by the houses of Savoy and Burgundy left it with a French heritage. And Italy's unification in 1861 brought both the city and the valley of Aosta where it is today, a part of Italy.

French-speaking Aostans fought unsuccessfully for reunification with France through the first half of the 20th century, and in 1948 a special law made the Valley of Aosta an autonomous region. Today the region is officially bilingual (French and Italian). You'll see the red and black Aostan flag flown a bit more vigorously than the Italian flag here.