An ancient chestnut drying house in the Lys Valley

Senechoir is a historic building that preserves an ancient chestnut drying house within its walls.

Its name combines the village toponym Sénéchaz and the French word séchoir (drying house), highlighting the close connection between the building and the area's rural heritage.

Restored and enhanced as a place of memory, Senechoir preserves evidence of traditional rural life, recounting the customs, knowledge and activities that shaped the Lys Valley for centuries. Here, the rhythm of mountain life seems unchanged, recalling a time when the slow smoke rising from the drying house protected and preserved chestnuts, the precious "bread of the woods".

The building, dating back to the 19th century, is arranged over three levels. The basement contains the former stable; the ground floor houses two rooms that were once used as a combined kitchen-bedroom and storage area; the upper floor preserves the spaces originally dedicated to the chestnut drying house and hayloft.

Senechoir is located in the small hamlet of Vers-Sénéchaz, at an altitude of 838 metres, on a scenic natural terrace overlooking the Lys Valley. The village, a hamlet of Lillianes, lies on the south-western slopes of Mount Crabun, amid landscapes characterised by forests and ancient terraced fields.

The development of the settlement is linked to a historic network of paths connecting the surrounding villages and providing access to mountain passes. Together with the nearby settlements of Le Miriou, Vers-Riasseu and Vers-Fey, the area was for centuries an important centre of rural life, based primarily on livestock farming, woodland management and mountain agriculture.

In the villages of the lower Lys Valley, chestnuts represented a valuable resource for both food supply and the local economy for centuries. The widespread presence of traditional drying houses bears witness to the importance of chestnut cultivation in this part of the Aosta Valley.

One example is the historic drying house in the hamlet of Marine, in Perloz, located along Stage 3 of the Cammino Balteo trek, which connects Fontainemore and Donnas.