The attractive mountain town of AOSTA was founded by the Romans in 25 BC after they disposed of the local tribe by auctioning them off in a slave market. It was primarily a military camp, but little survives from the era. More remains of medieval Aosta, its narrow cobbled streets and overhanging upper storeys giving the place a very alpine air. The town's key attraction though is its position: encircled by the Alps , and with access to the lovely valleys of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso , the ski resorts of Mont Blanc , and a sprinkling of castles in between, it's an ideal base for exploring the northwest of the region, before heading on to Switzerland or France.