Adventures and emotions around the splendid water scenery in the Aosta Valley

From April to September, the foamy, mountain streams become a hive of spectacular sporting activities: canoeing, kayaking and rafting offer water enthusiasts emotional experiences, among fast flowing water and natural slides.

Rafting is a discipline that consists of descending a river on various sized rubber dinghies. Expert guides are available to teach new-comers or accompany enthusiasts with programs of various difficulty and duration; there are also courses specially designed for children.

Hydrospeed, a discipline similar to canyoning, uses a sort of open board, used on river and stream waters.

River kayaks, with a rounded keel, are suitable for rapid and precise movements in short spaces and are easy to turn. The kayak, which is almost always made from polyethylene, a material that is highly resistant to knocks, is used by sitting in the opening and closing the space between the person and the opening using splash guards, to avoid water getting in. 

The Canadian canoe is a solid, stable, raft suitable for the transport of multiple people. The most immediate distinguishing feature of the kayak is the use of a paddle with one oar. This provokes a powerful, asymmetric thrust and because of this, and in most cases, the Canadian is used by two or more oarsmen, who must have good coordination. The Canadian canoe is slower than the kayak, because it is more stable, but offers greater comfort; since it is generally open it is less suitable for waves and difficult, fast moving water.