Avise

The village owes its name to the Lords of Avise, one of the oldest and most important noble families of the Aosta Valley and its strategic importance is testified by its three castles and the medieval bridge. Avise rises at 762 metres in a dominant position on the left orographic side of the Dora river and its surroundings are worked in vineyards, where the famous Petit Rouge wine finds its origins. Among the remains of the Roman era, you can see a section of the Road of the Gauls called Pierre Taillée (cut stone) because the Romans carved the rock to open a passage towards the valleys leading to Mont Blanc.

WHAT TO SEE
● The Avise Castle, a three-storey building with a square tower.
● The Blonay Castle, first residence of the powerful local family.
● The stronghold of Cré, located on the edge of a promontory, now partially destroyed.
● The Maison de Mosse in Runaz, built in the medieval period and now used as an exhibition venue.
● The parish church of Saint Brice, rebuilt in the last century, with a Romanesque bell tower dating back to 1400.

NATURE AND SPORT
Starting from the picnic area Lo Crou, along the road to Cerellaz, with an easy, half-hour walk you can reach the waterfall of Frenay. Here you can enjoy a wonderful view of Mont Blanc, or the nearby hamlet where you can see the traces of the Aosta Valley rural tradition (an oven, mill, dairy).
Another area suitable for pleasant walks or mountain biking is the green Vertosan valley: the view of the magnificent glacier of Château Blanc is stunning and here you can find a no kill fishing reserve.
For the adventurous ones, Avise also offers the opportunity to enjoy descents along the Dora Baltea river with rafting and other river sports.

FEASTS AND TRADITIONS
The 'Fiocca' Festival: The first edition dates back to 1972 and today the festival takes place every year at the end of June in the hamlet of Baulin , at the etrance of Valgrisenche. Traditionally, the fiocca (meaning whipped cream) is whipped by hand using a willow whip inside a cold cavern.

FOR THE LITTLE ONES
In Avise there is one playground in the hamlet of Condemine, near the sports area.

IDENTIKIT
● Inhabitants: 300
● Altitude: 762 m
● Distance from Aosta: 28 km
● How to get there by public transport: Avise can be reached from Aosta by bus with the line “Aosta-Courmayeur”. The timetables are available on the website of the company Arriva (timetables 'Alta Valle').