• Culture

    CHURCHES

    spirituality and tradition

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Churches and chapels, many of which are significant from a historical and artistic point of view, are found in all the villages crossed by the Balteo Trail.

Religious devotion pervades this land, where crosses and shrines were built in the past, even in harsh and dangerous places, to invoke protection or to favour crops.

NOT TO BE MISSED

Sant'Orso

The cloister of the church of Sant’Orso in Aosta (stages 18-19) is considered among the highest expressions of Romanesque religious sculpture. The wooden choir, the ancient frescoes in the attic and the chapel of the Priorship are also noteworthy.

THE CATHEDRAL OF AOSTA

The Renaissance makes its entrance into Aosta with the shapes and colors of terracotta on the facade of the Cathedral. The wooden stalls in the choir, the floor mosaics, the Ottonian frescoes in the attic and the museum of treasures are also worthy of …

THE shrine OF MACHABY

Above Arnad, along stage 4, there is an ancient shrine dedicated to the Madonna of the Snow. A hostel built in a 17th-century fort and a holiday farm serving snacks based on local products offer their hospitality.

SAN MARTINO CHURCH

In Arnad (stages 4 and 22) the stone shows the sacredness of the building, a precious pearl of history and beauty. The structure (11th century) in the Romanesque style and the 14th- and 15th-century frescoes are noteworthy.

MADELEINE CHAPEL

In Gressan, a few steps off the route (stage 18), the Romanesque church of Sainte-Marie-Magdeleine de Villa is known as the "Madeleine Chapel". The apse, the 12th-century bell tower and the frescoes by the painter Giacomino d'Ivrea are outstanding.

SAINT-VINCENT CHURCH

The church, in the welcoming pedestrian center of Saint-Vincent (stage 7), stands on the remains of a Roman building dating back to 300-400 AD.

CHURCHES ALONG THE TRAIL

Churches and shrines
Chenaux Chapel

Chenaux Chapel

Pollein

Jean-Baptiste Guichardaz, in 1739, decided to have the chapel built on his land in honour of Notre-Dame des Ermites and the Holy Souls in Purgatory.Three coloured wooden statues can be found in the chapel, the most important being that of Saint Barbara. …

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Churches and shrines
Parish curch of San Giorgio

Parish church of San Giorgio

Pollein

The Church dedicated to Saint George, according to some historical documents, has existed since 1168. It was first rebuilt in 1596, then in 1685 and enlarged towards the façade in 1867.Inside, visitors can admire a wood-carved statue representing St. …

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Churches and shrines
Churches and shrines

Gom Chapel

Pontboset

The current Gom chapel, which dates back to the third decade of the 18th century, was rebuilt on the remains of a previous, much smaller building, with a south facing entrance. The splendid baroque altar is most likely the work of one of the many …

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Churches and shrines
Chiesa di San Grato - Pontboset

Parish church of San Grato

Pontboset

The original church was built between 1622 and 1624, therefore shortly before the foundation of the parish (1625), but it was then rebuilt in 1843-44, working on the plans and under the management of the architect Pacifique Dallou of Donnas. In 1910, the …

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Churches and shrines
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Retempio Sanctuary

Pontboset

The Retempio Sanctuary, which dates back to 1835, comprises a chapel dedicated to Nostra Signora della Visitazione and San Rocco. Inside is a gilded wooden statue of the Madonna and two polychrome statues of Sant’Andrea and San Bartolomeo. The sanctuary …

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Churches and shrines
Campanile chiesa di San Martino - Pontey

Parish Church of San Martino

Pontey

In the Papal Bull of Alexander III, dated 20th April 1176, the parish of Pontey appears as directly dependant on the Bishop of Aosta. The building is rectangular in shape with a slightly raised square-shaped presbytery. The current Parish Church was …

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Churches and shrines
chiesa di Fontaney

Fontaney church

Pont-Saint-Martin

The Church of Fontaney is located along the regional road to Perloz, just above the built‑up area of Pont‑Saint‑Martin, in an area characterized by vegetation and numerous water springs, from which the name Fontaney derives (“place of the fountains”).The …

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Churches and shrines
Saint Lawrence parish church

Saint Lawrence parish church

Pré-Saint-Didier

Built in the XV century and extended in 1891, it is a Latin cross church, with only one nave.The main door dates back to the last great age of restoration and is overlooked by a wooden figure of the village’s patron, Saint Lawrence, created by a skilful …

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Churches and shrines
In the summer

Parish church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary

Rhêmes-Notre-Dame

The territory of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame was once part of Rhêmes-Saint-Georges and a parish was established there only in 1650, transforming an ancient chapel into the parish church. The church was rebuilt in 1680 and extended in 1839. The interior paintings …

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Churches and shrines
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Saint George parish church

Rhêmes-Saint-Georges

Located on a prominent headland, it represents one of the most significant historic monuments in the valley. It was already mentioned in a Papal Bull from Alexander III in 1176 with the name “Ecclesia de Voce”: it is the first parish church dedicated to …

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