Holiday apartment in Ayas: glaciers, trails and mountain culture

Ayas appeals to travellers who want to combine mountain landscapes, history and active days. Champoluc lies in a broad, sunny valley basin, with glaciers shaping the horizon at the head of the valley. Ayas is served by the “Verrès – Saint-Jacques” bus route. This makes it possible to choose a holiday apartment or holiday house based on the experiences you want: walking trails, mountain excursions, culture in Antagnod or winter sports.

Nature between Monte Rosa and a protected mountain valley

The Vallone delle Cime Bianche lies entirely within the municipality of Ayas. It extends for around 10 kilometres from east to west to the watershed with Valtournenche and, as a Zona di Protezione Speciale, is part of the European Natura 2000 network. The landscape can also be experienced on the Blanchard–Colle Superiore Cime Bianche route: it crosses the Vallone delle Cime Bianche and passes peaks such as Gran Tournalin, Monte Roisetta and Rocca di Veraz.

Lago Blu lies at the foot of Monte Rosa. Snowshoes are required to access it in winter. Those planning a trip during a season with changing conditions should therefore assess this destination differently from the walking trails and summer activities. Ayas also has numerous signposted mountain-bike routes for summer activities.

Culture and traditional crafts in Antagnod and Crest

Antagnod combines sacred art with regional craftsmanship. The Museo di Arte Sacra is located in the cemetery chapel dating from the late 15th century, next to the parish church of San Martino. It houses the Vierge Ouvrante, a rare statue from the mid-14th century that was found in the parish church of Antagnod. In the historic centre of Antagnod, the Maison Fournier hosts a permanent exhibition of traditional crafts from the Aosta Valley.

The Parrocchiale di San Martino also features historic details: the main altar was created through work carried out between 1500 and 1800 and was consecrated on 29 May 1716. The new church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, was consecrated on 24 October 1852. Traditional wooden Rascard houses have been preserved in the village of Crest, with their original buildings left unaltered. Crest is also associated with the traditional craft production of wooden sabots.

Hiking trails for different abilities

The Ru Courtod is a 25-kilometre irrigation channel created in the Ayas and Brusson area by the “free men” of the Saint-Vincent hill country using shovels and pickaxes. Today, its open sections form a history-rich walking route through extensive meadows and numerous alpine pastures. For a mountain excursion, the Barmasc–Monte Zerbion route follows trail 105 over Col Portola to the summit of Monte Zerbion and offers panoramic views of the central valley.

The hike from Barmasc to Col Portola takes around one hour, is rated E – escursionistico and has an elevation gain of 515 metres. Another route leads from Blanchard to Colle Superiore Cime Bianche. For a high-altitude excursion, the Rifugio Grand Tournalin mountain hut lies at 2,535 metres in the Vallone di Nannaz and can be reached from Saint-Jacques or Mandrou. Barmasc is also home to the Santuario di Notre-Dame du Bon Secours at an altitude of 1,828 metres. It was a destination for processions, partly because a spring beneath the chapel was believed to have miraculous powers.

Summer activities and winter sports

The Villy Bike Park in Parco Pian Villy offers a pump track with earthen rollers and banked turns, as well as sections of varying difficulty for children up to 15 years old. Parco Pian Villy also has an equipped picnic area, beach-volleyball and soccer-volley courts, a paintball field, a sun terrace, a kiosk and children’s entertainment. This makes it possible to include sports, breaks and activities for different age groups in your daily plans.

In winter, the Champoluc-Frachey area forms part of the Monterosa Ski network and has slopes of varying difficulty for beginners through to experienced skiers. Monterosa Ski connects three Alpine valleys in a single ski area. The Villy slope starts at the Champoluc car park. The Periasc slopes consist of four circuits, two of which are shorter sections of the longer circuit.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Ayas, you can base your preferred location on the specific focus of your trip: the cultural sites of Antagnod, the trails starting from Barmasc, the landscapes of the Vallone delle Cime Bianche, the summer activities in Parco Pian Villy or the winter sports options in Champoluc-Frachey and Periasc. Different route lengths and difficulty levels make it easier to compare your plans at a glance.

Other destinations you can include in your selection: Cogne, Fontainemore, Ozein, Antey-Saint-André, Saint-Christophe, Valtournenche, Acque Fredde, Saint Nicolas.

To the main travel overview: Aosta Valley.