Castles

The Castles of the Aosta Valley

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE

This is an undulating ride along the Dora Baltea with stops and visits at the local castles (Saint-Marcel, Fenis, Châtillon and Ussel) to be planned.

KM 58.9

Altitude gain 800 m

Difficulty ***

Category Well prepared family

Max. gradient -

Duration 2h30 – 3h00

Technical info

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This is an undulating ride along the Dora Baltea with stops and visits at the local castles (Saint-Marcel, Fenis, Châtillon and Ussel) to be planned.
The route is round-trip on the same road with the turning point located in the town of Châtillon. Traffic is on average scarce except in the peak season around the castle of Fenis, the destination of ad hoc excursions.
No particular difficulties to be reported.

NOTES:
Countless areas for stops and refreshments are available along the entire route. Aosta is not mentioned as a place to visit but one may organise that as well.

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The Castle of Fénis is one of the numerous mediaeval manors in Valle d’Aosta, built on a hillock with no natural defences (unlike other castles in the region, built for military and defence purposes). It was the representative seat of the local lords, who nonetheless equipped it with defensive apparatus (such as double walls and towers) as a symbol of power and prestige. Today, the building is owned by the Region and is open for visits throughout the year.

The Fortress of Bard is a fortified complex, located on the stronghold, in a position that provides an easy checkpoint on the passage between the Po Valley and Savoy. It suffered siege by Napoleon, who had it razed to the ground; it was rebuilt in the 19th century by the Savoys. Since 2006 it has been open to the public, hosting museums and offering educational activities and sporting events (such as the Monterosa Walser Trail).