MOTOTOUR - Pont-Saint-Martin - Col di Joux - Verrès

THE “LARD” OF ARNAD
A recommendation for the connoisseur: past the Bard Fort and then make a stop at Arnad and request some of the famous lard. Spicy and flavored with mountain herbs, the “Lard d’Arnad” adds to any dish an authentic taste, the taste of the Aosta Valley. In 1996 it received the Protected Designation of Origin. Every year, on the last Sunday in August, the traditional “Féhta dou Lard” - Lard Festival - unfolds, which attracts thousands of tourists.

BRUSSON
The climb from Verrès, along the lower part of the Val d'Ayas, takes you to Challand-Saint-Victor where you can make a detour to Lake Villa, a nature reserve. Continuing further, you will pass Challand-Saint-Ansèlme, you will see the Graines castle, built in the 11th century on a rocky spur, and you will reach Brusson, at 1338 meters above sea level, where you can visit the Chamousira gold mines and the dairy  La Fromagerie Haut Val d'Ayas.
From Brusson starts the road that leads to Col di Joux, which connects the Val d'Ayas with Saint-Vincent.

SAINT-VINCENT
A charming scenic road descends from the 5,380 feet of Col di Joux to Saint-Vincent, exclusive town overlooking the central valley, known as the “Riviera of the Alps” for its special climatic conditions. The ideal location to spend a few days of vacation in absolute relaxation, but also just for a pleasant break before you get on the road to the bottom of the valley: It’s the right time for a pizza, an ice-cream, a stroll through the elegant streets of the center and – why not?- a short trip to the slot-machines at the famous Casino de La Vallée.