The Celts crossed it when they invaded Italy.

The Roman legions crossed it when they marched out to subdue Gaul and Germany.

Ten hundred years ago the Saracen robbers hid among its rocks to waylay unfortunate travellers.

You will read about all that in your history sometime, and about the famous march Napoleon made across it on his way to Marengo.

But the most interesting fact about the road to me, is that for over seven hundred years there has been a monastery high up on the bleak mountain-top, called the monastery of St.Bernard.
"Once, when I was travelling through the Alps, I stopped there one cold night, almost frozen.