VATICAN CITY, JUL 9, 1999 (VIS) - Yesterday, the first full day of his vacation, the Holy Father went for a ride in the mountains near La Thuile, had a picnic lunch under a tent, rested in a lounge chair, read, and enjoyed the companionship of those accompanying him on his 13-day stay in Italy's northwestern Valle d'Aosta region. He left his house just before 11 a.m. and returned just before 7 p.m.
Pope John Paul is staying in the small mountain village of Les Combes, a hamlet of 30 inhabitants which lies just over 1,000 meters above sea level and in the midst of peaceful wooded areas, rivers and walking trails. This is the seventh time that he has spent his vacation in Les Combes.
The villa-chalet where the Holy Father is staying is a two-story stone construction plus a mansard which serves as a mini-apartment for the Pope, with a bedroom, bath, study and chapel. The chalet has breathtaking views of the surrounding area and the mansard overlooks Mount Blanc.
The area which the Pope is visiting includes Gran Paradiso, Italy's first national park, which was established in 1922. It is 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) in size and goes from a low point of 800 meters in the valley regions to a height of 4,061 meters at the Gran Paradiso Mountain.
In an article which appeared in the diocesan newspaper yesterday, Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta recalled that, during his March 1999 "ad limina" visit to Rome, Pope John Paul told him that he would very much "like to see Valle d'Aosta in the snow."
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