• 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
Chapel of Berzin

Chapel of Berzin

Torgnon

Among the oldest chapels in Torgnon, the one dedicated to Saint James dates back to around 1450. It was built in the 15th century by the notary Aymonod. The choir dates back to 1868 and may have coincided with the rebuilding of the façade, which today …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Châtelard

Chapel of Châtelard

Torgnon

In a panoramic and dominant position, the Châtelard chapel dedicated to Saint Grato overlooks the entire parish, as if protecting it from above. According to popular tradition, Saint Grato is theguardian of villages and cultivated fields, invoked in …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Gilliarey

Chapel of Gilliarey

Torgnon

The Chapel of Gillarey offers one of the most spectacular views of the Aosta Valley. Built in 1866 on a rocky spur overlooking the Buisson valley floor, it seems suspended between the sky and the mountain. It was blessed the following year by Canon Luigi …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Ponty

Chapel of Ponty

Torgnon

Along the road that goes from the main town of Torgnon to the village of Petit-Monde, you will find a pretty chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Pitié. Built between 1720 and 1730, the chapel is set in the rock, right along the stretch connecting the …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Saint-Évence

Chapel of Saint-Évence

Torgnon

In a dominant position over Valtournenche and the entire valley floor, the chapel of Saint-Évence stands on a panoramic plateau that can be reached in about half an hour's walk from Col Saint-Pantaléon. Its origin is ancient: it existed as early as the 13 …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Saint-Pantaléon

Chapel of Saint-Pantaléon

Torgnon

The chapel of Saint-Pantaléon is located just below the hill of the same name, nestled among the pines along the ancient gravel path that climbs from the Torgnon side. It is a secluded and silent place, where the intensity of popular devotion is still …

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Churches and shrines
Chapel of Triatel

Chapel of Triatel

Torgnon

The chapel of Triatel, nestled in the stillness of the village bearing the same name, retains an aura of mystery that fascinates anyone approaching it. Its origins are lost in time: there are records of it as early as 1588, when it was dedicated to Saint …

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Churches and shrines
Chiesa di San Martino - Torgnon

Saint Martin parish church

Torgnon

The oldest historic news dates back to 1413, however the current construction in Neogothic style dates back to 1868. The facade presents the most recent decorations inside tondos and mullioned windows. They depict: the Virgin with Child, with two angels …

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Churches and shrines
The church from the parvis

Saint Gratus parish church

Valgrisenche

The church was built between 1871 and 1875 and consecrated by Monsignor Duc, the bishop of Aosta, on June 9th 1876. It replaced the old church, erected when the parish was established (1392), restored and extended in 1666 and 1821. The works were carried …

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Churches and shrines
Mondanges chapel

The Montanges chapel

Valgrisenche

The Mondanges chapel, built in 1648, is dedicated to Saints Joseph, Hilary and Barbara.In the years 1890-1891, the chapel was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style by the entrepreneur and architect Giuseppe Lancia.It is characterised by its tall, slender façade …

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