Here you are right in the heart of Valle d'Aosta! From here you can
easily get to the upper Valley and be right in front of the highest
peaks in Europe or reach Aosta in a five-minute drive. We guess you
will be easily persuaded to stop here as we will arouse your
curiosity by showing you the Castle Sarriod de la Tour, we will
amaze you by taking you around the Natural Sciences Regional Museum
located into Saint-Pierre Castle. We could also driving you up to
Vetan (1700 meters) to feel the thrill of paragliding. What a
striking view from there: the impressive mountain Grivola, the Peak
of Nona, the Mount Emilius... At that height in the sky you feel
like staring at those enormous giants. And back on the ground, we
suggest you to taste the delicious products of our cuisine: the
luscious apples, the apple juice, the aromatic wines…
Saint-Pierre: close at hand are mountains and city
The first residents of the village settled here 5,000 years ago
attracted by the mild climate of this sunny site. Throughout the
centuries Saint-Pierre maintained its strategic role, so that two
castles were built on this tiny area. During your visit, you will be
amazed by the authentic Spartan Sarriod de la Tour castle and by the
sophisticated Saint-Pierre castle being the result of several
modifications.
Surrounded by the apple trees, Sarriod de la Tour
dates back to the 13th century. Inside the castle it is worth a look
at “the heads’ room” decorated with a ceiling made of
anthropomorphic pictures of monsters, animals and insects.
Saint-Pierre castle is located higher up. It strikes the visitors
with its neo-gothic towers. It has been the seat of the Regional
Natural Sciences Museum since 1975 and shows an important exhibition
of flora and fauna.
In summer, in the castles’ rooms, you can take
part to Castelli di cultura, a meeting with authors and books. Each
year on August 10th you might live again in the magic atmosphere of
the Middle Ages thanks to the event Brindisi sotto le Stelle during
which the Middle Ages are mixed with oenology and gastronomy.
There are plenty of cultural sites around the village: Saint-Pierre church,
Saint-Jaqueme priory, sundials and chapels, traditional architecture
in Verrogne, Vetan and Rumiod. And when you get hungry do not miss
the typical cuisine whose inspiration is the apple. The delightful
fruit is prepared in several ways: with pork, in the salad, as a
fruit juice, in the cakes, or distilled. In the village center are
located two traditional shops with souvenirs of the Grand Paradis.
In Saint-Pierre sport ranges from mountain bike to archery, from the
amazing paragliding to the new cat-riding, from kite-ski to
mountaineering skiing.
NEWS
A SOUVENIR FROM PARADISE
Cookery is an art coming out in harmony with the scenery which
reflects its colors and emotions. The dishes of our local cuisine
are tasty and variegated, made of simple recipes that stress on the
various gradations of flavor and scent. Dishes contain history and
habits of the people and fit every single season. The cuisine has
always been playing an important part in Valle d'Aosta tourism,
restaurants propose more and more traditional dishes together with
local wines. Gastronomic events celebrate all year round the
authenticity of traditional products such as salami, meat, cheese,
butter, honey, chestnuts, apples, pears, wines and liqueurs.
Monuments
Castle of Saint-Pierre
Info:
Castello di Saint-Pierre tel. (+39) 0165 903485
Loc Tache -
Perched on a crest dominating the left bank of the Dora
Baltea and the village of Saint-Pierre below, the castle was
built around 1000 and was mentioned in the “Charte des
Franchises” of 1191, a document which regulated Valle d'Aosta’s tributary and fiscal laws. Over the centuries the
castle has had many transformations and parts have been
added. In the 17th century, baron Pierre-Leonard Roncas
purchased the castle and extended it. The present form is
due to Emanuele Bollati and to his neo-gothic taste. In 1985
the castle became the Regional Natural History Museum.
20/04-30/09: H 9.00-19.00 (for every day, last entrance
18.30)
Entrance-fee: € 3,00, € 1,50 (school groups)
Castle of Sarriod de La Tour
Info:
Castello Sarriod de La Tour tel. (+39) 0165 904689
S.S. N. 26 -
In front of the castle of Saint-Pierre, it is possible to
see the more authentic castle of Sarriod de la Tour. The
original nucleus included the central, square-plan tower
surrounded by enclosure walls, of which the west portion is
still preserved. In the 15th century a series of edifices on
to those pre-existing was built. A large service room on the
ground floor of the north wing has a wooden ceiling, the
main beam of which is supported by a round pillar at the
center of the room. The “Sala delle teste”, hall of the
heads, takes its name from the decoration of its wooden
ceiling: crickets, animals, monsters, mythological creatures
live in this beautiful room since the 15th century. The
castle belonged to the Sarriod de la Tour family until 1923
and now it is a property of the regional administration.
24/05-30/06, 01/09-30/09: H 9.00-18.30 (for every day)
01/07-31/08: H 9.00-19.30 (for every day)
01/10-31/12: 10.00-12.00 / 13.30-16.30 (giorni for every
weekday, closed on Tuesdays), 10.00-12.00 / 13.30-17.30 (on
Sundays and Holidays)
Free admission.
Chapel
Loc. Verrogne
Parish church and bell tower
Loc. Tache
Loc. Tache -
It is difficult to establish the foundation’s date of this
parish church, but it is possible to collocate it between
the 9th and the 11th century. The actual building was
constructed in 1871-1872, but under the floor are still
conserved the remains of a religious edifice of the 11th
century. Very interesting is the square bell tower situated
between the church and the castle.
Priory
S.S. n. 26
The Saint-Jacqueme’s
priory is composed by a series of buildings that rise on the
right side of the Mont Blanc’s national road. Between them,
it is possible to see a little church and a beautiful bell
tower. The first document a propos of the priory dates back
to the year 1145. In 1845 it became a nursing home for
diocesan missionaries. Today it is a place for studying and
pondering.
Traditional architecture
Loc. Rumiod, Vetan
In
Saint-Pierre, it is possible to see the typical
constructions of Valle d'Aosta.
Courtesy of the AIAT Gran Paradis; more... >>>
