Art and culture in Courmayeur

Art in Courmayeur

The visit of Courmayeur can be done in one afternoon. It starts from the beautiful parish church of San Pantaleone, with its slender bell tower. The square in front is dedicated to Joseph-Marie Henry, an illustrious fellow citizen. Overlooking the same square is the house of the Society of Guides, now home to the Duca degli Abruzzi Alpine Museum. Inside, objects, documents are exhibited and rooms are set up that document life in the mountains and the history of mountaineering. You can also admire minerals and crystals. Nearby stands the ancient Malluquin tower, where art exhibitions are set up. Another cultural venue is the Jardin dell’Ange, home to the Museo transfrontaliero of Monte Bianco. Among the attractions of the surrounding area, two are worthy of mention. The sanctuary of Notre-Dame de la Guérison, an elegant white church that rises at the mouth of the Val Veny, standing out against the backdrop of the Brenva glacier. The Passerin d’Entrèves fort-house, a singular example of an ancient fortified residence in Entrèves.

Art and culture in the upper Aosta Valley

The closest destinations can be reached and visited in half a day. Pré-Sant-Didier is known for its thermal baths and the suggestive ravine. From there you can continue to La Thuile, a well-known holiday and ski resort, and to the Piccolo San Bernardo pass, with the ancient monastery and the remains of a large megalithic “cromlech”. In Morgex you can visit the historic center, the beautiful church and the Cave Mont Blanc, where Blanc de Morgex et La Salle is produced. Particularly interesting is Avise, which has various late medieval buildings (Maison de Blonay, Avise castle, Maison de Mosse). In addition, you can visit the gorge of Pierre Taillée, with the Roman remains of the ancient “Via delle Gallie”. In Arvier you can visit the Cantina dell’Infer d’Arvier, one of the best red wines in the valley. Nearby, the roads lead to Valgrisenche and Les Combes, known for being the favorite holiday resort of Pope John Paul II (John Paul II House Museum). Less than 10 km from Aosta, the Sarriod de La Tour, Introd and Sarre castles meet in a short sequence. The roads leading to Val di Rhême and Valsavarenche branch off in Introd. On the opposite side of the valley, the road leading to Vetan begins from Saint-Pierre. The road leading to the Cogne valley departs from Aymavilles. Here you can admire the church of Saint Léger, with its frescoed façade, and the nineteenth-century castle, soon to open to the public. Several wineries can be visited nearby, including the Cave des Onze Communes in Aymavilles and Le Crêtes.

Art and culture in Aosta

Aosta is certainly not a metropolis, however it has a notable artistic and cultural interest. With the name of Augusta Pretoria, in Roman times it was the main center along the “Via delle Gallie”. Important remains testify to this illustrious past: the Arch of Augustus, the Porta Pretoria, the suggestive Roman theater, the forensic cryptoporticus, the remains of the city walls and the remains of some ancient houses. Important Roman remains are kept in the Regional Archaeological Museum. Among the testimonies of later eras, the collegiate church of Sant’Orso stands out, with its beautiful cloister, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Cathedral Treasury Museum. Furthermore, temporary exhibitions of ancient art, modern art and socio-cultural themes are set up at the Saint-Bénin Center.