The Great St. Bernard has been an important link between northern and southern Europe since Roman times. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims crossed the pass on the way to Rome. Today, the Via Francigena offers hikers a historic tour from Canterbury to that city. The last part of the route described here, including three ascents to passes offering a wide variety of views, follows this historic route.

The hike starts at the top of the pass. With the Grand Combin looming majestically to the east, the trail leads over the first pass, the Pas des Chevaux. It crosses the Torrent de Drône river before winding its way in broad sweeps to reach a path leading to the next pass, the Col du Bastillon. Up here, an impressive panorama suddenly reveals itself, including the Grand Golliat, Mont Dolent, Mont Blanc and other peaks, with the unspoilt Val Ferret down below. The next destination on the hike is also visible by now: the three clear mountain lakes known as the Lacs de Fenêtre, situated on a plateau about 2,500 metres above sea level and flanked by the peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. The carpet of cotton grass surrounding the lakes is a good place to rest and regain your strength for the next ascent to the Fenêtre de Ferret, where the route crosses the border into Italy. This is an aptly named pass: it really does feel like looking through a window at the impressive 3,000 and 4,000-metre peaks, not to mention the historic hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass.

Back at the destination, hikers should allow plenty of time to explore the top of the pass. Highlights include the 11th century hospice, the baroque church and a small museum about the history and natural surroundings of the Great St. Bernard Pass. The undisputed stars of the show are the St. Bernard dogs, bred here by monks over many centuries. Whilst they are now reared in Martigny, the residents of the Fondation Barry still spend the summer on the pass, where visitors can take guided walks with them.