Yesterday was a long day so we don't rush ourselves this morning. We leave the site at 11:00 and drive along the valley floor directly towards Mont Blanc which looks very different this morning with the sun behind it. Instead of glowing white like icing on a cake the ice glistens grey and blue, looking colder and harder.

We drive through Passy and join the motorway which climbs gently at first before getting steeper, eventually snaking along through mid-air on towering piers. We are still amongst the rocks when we enter our first tunnel of the day. The road climbs again with some sharp bends where speed limits are as low as 20kph and then we pass the control zone for vehicles using the autoroute to the Mont Blanc tunnel. We stay on the D205 and are soon approaching the tunnel's toll station ourselves. There is one car in front of us and he is held stationary for around 40 seconds while other traffic enters at a strict rate. We move forward, pay the €56.10 one-way fee for class 2 vehicles and are given our ticket and advice note, which we don't have time to read as we are admitted instantly, but signs repeat all the important points. Vehicles must drive between 50 and 70kph and keep a gap of 150m from the vehicle in front. A row of orange lights mark the side wall, with regular pairs of blue lights. The blue lights are 150m and if you get closer than 2 blues an overhead message flashes to remind you to keep the distance. Traffic flow is light with waves of 6 or 7 vehicles at a time in the opposite direction. By haIfway we are feeling warm, the temperature inside is 27C. It takes us 12 minutes to complete the 11.6km underground before we see the countdown markers and then the daylight. We emerge into brilliant sunshine and pull in to the carpark overlooking Courmayeur.

Behind us is Monte Bianco [we're now in Italy], in front pinnacles and ridges of rock tumble down the gorge to the river bed. A church sits half way down on a ridge.

We drive down the valley towards Aosta and join the autostrada to cover some of the miles to our planned stop. This section of the autoroute seems to be about a third underground as we enter tunnel after tunnel but we make good progress so decide to exit and drive through Aosta itself.

Although we drive into the centre there is little evidence of the Roman influence we had read about. We stop alongside the railway for coffee and look at the Fattore Amico book, the Italian version of France Passion. There is a farm 7 miles away in the hills. Ali phones and gets an English speaker who tells us we're welcome.

The drive takes us up a steep, winding mountain road into the hilltop village of Verrayes. Snoopy stops us outside a house with a large parking bay which we pull into while Ali goes in search of the Owner. Meanwhile he appears at Nick's window with a cheery 'good morning' [although it's 14:30]. We learn the normal parking is out of service while some building is being done but we can stay on this area. Er, no thanks. It's sloping, right on the edge of the road and has nothing but a stone wall for a view. We say goodbye and programme Snoopy for the campsite we'd originally planned for tonight.

We continue through the Aosta valley mostly alongside or in sight of the river. It is wide and its milky blue water flows quickly over a bed of glacial boulders. In places there are small waterfalls and series of rapids.

Old stone towns cling to the cliffs around us with terraces of fruit bushes forming pigeon-hole grids.

In Bard a fortress complex dominates the rocks above the river but modern visitors don't need to scale the walls as a modern funicular is ready to aid their ascent.

At 16:30 we arrive at Monbarome campsite near Ivrea and pick a pitch at the far end, looking up a 2500-3000 foot mountainside with a few houses and fruit terraces. Across the river we hear clanging bells and see the cattle wearing them being driven in for the night.

We enjoy a peaceful evening with a steak dinner and rum baba [and a drop of vino rosso].

Buono Sera, good night. Early to bed as we prepare for an exciting weekend.