The roads of the valley have been marked out and travelled along since ancient times; although the passage through here of Hannibal is undoubtedly a legend, what is certain is that the area was conquered by Rome and during the Italian campaign of Napoleon Bonaparte, the last great military leader to have crossed the region. The central valley occupies the most densely populated part of the region, and ranges from particularly low altitudes such as the 345 m of Pont-Saint-Martin through middle-altitude ranges up to true mountain resorts such as Champorcher and the area of the Mont Avic Regional Park.

The towns and villages concentrated in this area of the region offer a range of holiday opportunities all year round, but they are especially attractive in autumn and in spring, when there is still snow to be found at altitude and the sunny mountainsides are already suitable for walks and hikes. Alternatively, visitors might like to spend their time looking around the numerous castles, strongholds, museums and churches; or perhaps try their fortune at the French roulette tables and slot machines of the Casinò de la Vallée in Saint-Vincent, a climatic resort in which there is also a spa offering various treatments.