The Rascard, as it is called in Val d'Aosta, is the typical high-mountain dwelling which, over the centuries, has proved to be the most ecological and resistant: by combining natural materials such as wood and stone, it fights the cold, snow, and blizzards of high altitudes. The Rascard is a building conceived in a vertical sense where, in the past, the herds were at the base; the farmers and their families had the ground floor, where the kitchen was located, and the first floor, dedicated to the bedrooms; the attic was used to store straw for the animals during the winter but also to insulate the building; finally, the roof of the dwelling was a very robust and characteristic gabled roof with gneiss slabs.
The Rascard is a self-sufficient building, a true living microcosm, almost indestructible if lovingly cared for by its inhabitants, which is also why the Hotel Rascard has the best energy-efficient and ecological technologies.
The family, the second generation of hoteliers, manages the Hotel Rascard and its 15 rooms and the restaurant, known throughout the valley for their typical dishes and more.
"The hotel was built in 1987 and started operations the following year, 1988," Rudy Vallet begins. "It was built by father Gianni and mother Teresa. We had previously run hotels as the Vallet family. This is the first one we had built on our own land in Singlin di Sopra in Valtournenche, a secluded but quiet hamlet in the Valdostan village. At the same time, we are five minutes away from the ski lifts, which connect Valtournenche and Cervinia with Zermatt on the Swiss side of the Matterhorn."