1.558 meters
Champoluc Tchampoloùec
Les Fusines Li Fejeune – 1.700 m
Blanchard Biantchart – 1.724 m
Rovinal Rovénal – 1.709 m
Praz-Sec Pra-Sec – 1.700 m
Les Péyoz Li Péyo – 1.725 m
Les Droles Li Drole – 1.757 m
Bernosin Bernozìn – 1.750 m
Champoluc (Tchampoloùec in the local dialect) was once a small village. In 1782, it had fewer inhabitants than Cunéaz, located at an altitude of 2,049 meters, while in the late 19th century, Amé Gorret and Claude Bich’s *Guide de la Vallée d’Aoste* states: “ In Champoluc there is a small tavern and a tobacco shop…” and again in Amé Gorret and Giovanni Varale’s Illustrated Guide to the Challant or Ayas Valley: “… since there are no inns or wine cellars, the traveler can find refreshment and courteous hospitality with the local rector or chaplain, Don Novallet, a cultured, very polite, and kind man.”
The village had a mill, a blacksmith’s shop, two bakeries, a communal dairy, and three schools, one of which was established in 1770 with funds from the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity and the Holy Rosary and was divided into two sections, one for boys and one for girls. In 1776, a Latin school taught by the rector was added to these.
The largest part of the old village was located on the right bank of the Evançon stream, where historical sources mention an early chapel dating back to 1659 and dedicated to Saint Anthony, which was demolished in 1715 and replaced by the Chapel of Saint Anne on the opposite bank of the stream.
The so-called “old town,” which certainly existed by the mid-16th century when the practice of engraving building dates on gables and lintels became widespread, can be reached today via a short uphill detour from the main road: this is the ancient heart of Champoluc with its partially restored rascards and imposing stone houses, the narrow streets lined with wooden balconies and canopies, the ‘mushroom-shaped’ pillars supporting old granaries, and the images of popular devotion painted on the walls of the homes.
And it was precisely in the historic center that important notaries of the Dondeynaz family, who lived in the 18th century, resided, along with the three provosts, natives of Champoluc—Joseph Raymond, Jean-Jacques Duc, and Jean-Pierre Dondeynaz—who, from 1727 to 1802, guided the fortunes of the Church of the Aosta Valley, holding the highest office in the Cathedral Chapter.
Disasters and natural events struck the village between the late 19th century and the early decades of the following century. Among these were the fire of 1889, which destroyed part of the old town, forcing many families to rebuild their homes, and the fire of November 1923, which occurred while the men were away making clogs, and which burned down Provost Raymond’s residence and a large rascard (in the area of the current gas station).
On January 6, 1920, a terrible avalanche swept through the Quaille district and its large rascard. Local tradition still recalls, even in the 20th century, the division of the old town into several districts: Quaille, Taleuc, L’Andréón, Carre Fréide, and, on the other side of the bridge, Prabochón.
The founding in 1962 of the Champoluc-Ayas Guides Association, driven by the growing popularity of increasingly intense and demanding mountaineering and skiing, quickly helped to refine the town’s tourist appeal. The town gradually expanded on the opposite side of the old town, along the left bank of the Evançon, with more modern hotels and residential buildings.
Even the small Chapel of Sant’Anna, elevated to parish status in 1946, proved no longer adequate and was replaced by a new, larger, more functional, and spacious church, consecrated in 1970, which still overlooks the current central square.
Map of Champoluc
Villa Beati
La Villa Beati, construite en 1930 sur quatre étages, constitue un exemple significatif de l’architecture résidentielle de l’époque dans la haute Val d’Ayas. Propriété communale depuis plusieurs années, la villa a connu de nombreuses transformations fonctionnelles, passant de centre culturel à école maternelle et, depuis 2023, à crèche et espace de jeu pour les familles du territoire. La structure, objet de travaux minutieux de rénovation et de mise aux normes, conserve une valeur historique et sociale qui se reflète dans sa vitalité continue en tant que pôle d’agrégation. Particulièrement suggestive est la décoration sur le côté nord, où se détache la figure imposante de l’Archange Michel dans un geste de triomphe contre le démon, représenté sous la forme d’un dragon. Cette iconographie, riche en symbolisme chrétien, souligne le rôle de Saint Michel en tant que protecteur contre le mal, un thème récurrent dans l’art populaire et religieux d’Ayas, présent tant sur les habitations privées que dans les édifices sacrés. La fresque est l’œuvre de Giuseppe Amisani, peintre lombard de renommée internationale, célèbre pour ses portraits et paysages, qu’il réalisa à l’été 1935, probablement lors d’un séjour à la Villa Beati. Le tableau enrichit la villa d’une valeur artistique remarquable, qui s’intègre harmonieusement à l’histoire et à la fonction actuelle du bâtiment.
Sem Benelli House
Set amidst a setting of rare tranquility, this stone villa stands as a tangible testament to the life and work of Sem Benelli, a prominent figure in Italian literature between the late nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Filettole di Prato in 1877, Benelli established himself as a poet, writer, and playwright, making significant contributions to Italian theatre with intense texts and evocative film scripts. The villa reflects his refined taste and passion for the natural environment, situated in an isolated area that fostered concentration and creative inspiration. His residence alternated moments of retreat in the mountains at Champoluc with life by the sea, where in Zoagli, a Ligurian locality characterized by sheer cliffs, he commissioned the construction of a villa-castle on a rocky promontory—an architectural work that combines the robustness of a fortress with the lightness of the maritime panorama. This place, like the villa we observe here, thus becomes a symbol of a man who found in the harmony between nature and art the strength to express his creativity, leaving an indelible mark on twentieth-century Italian culture.
Casa Garelli
The Casa Garelli stands as a captivating example of the dialogue between tradition and modernity, nestled within the alpine landscape of Champoluc. In 1962, the surveyor Felice Garelli purchased for 850,000 lire a rascard dating back to 1664, a typical wooden building of the Aosta Valley, located in the ‘paese vecchio’ of Taleuc. With a farsighted vision, he entrusted the delicate task of dismantling and reassembling this structure to the architect Carlo Mollino, a prominent figure in twentieth-century Italian architecture, renowned for his innovative projects and profound understanding of the mountain environment. Respecting the historical integrity of the rascard, Mollino meticulously numbered each wooden element to faithfully reconstruct it on the new site, on the opposite side of the mountain. The masonry base was rebuilt from scratch, adapted to the terrain and enriched with “mushroom”-shaped pilasters and continuously curved grilles, poetic reinterpretations of traditional motifs. The wooden structure is based on the Blockbau system, in which notched beams interlock at the corners, ensuring both robustness and formal harmony. Breaking with tradition, the reinforced concrete staircase, placed on the south side, imparts a modern and functional touch. Finally, at the rear, Mollino designed a small votive chapel, almost as if to seal the spiritual bond between the dwelling and the surrounding forest, a testament to a project that combines historical fidelity, innovation, and profound respect for the mountain.
Favre Quaille House
Casa Favre Quaille, dating back to 1569 as evidenced by an engraved stone in the masonry, is a precious example of traditional Valdostan architecture, steeped in history and symbolism. Its façade hosts a fresco from 1570, among the oldest preserved in Val d’Ayas, depicting the Infant Jesus in a blessing pose, with the right hand raised and the left holding a globe surmounted by a cross. This painting is inscribed within a circle of fiery rays, a clear reference to the iconography promoted by San Bernardino da Siena in the early fifteenth century. The garland of leaves surrounding the circle recalls Mantegna’s famous lunette of 1452, an artistic connection that enriches the cultural value of the house. The arched doorway, with its ancient lock and the three embedded crosses, adds an aura of mystery and sacredness. The inscriptions at the lower part of the fresco, including the phrase “ESPOIER EN DIEU 1570” and the initials ID and PD surmounted by the sign “4,” testify to a connection with the Walser tradition, a Germanic people who left deep traces in the Lys Valley, Valsesia, and Valais. Other engravings and dates such as “FMA 1878” and “1880” also appear, marking subsequent interventions. Casa Favre Quaille was not only a residence but also a place of work: part of the building was used as a workshop for the manufacture of sabot, while other rooms served as storage for bread, kept on racks, thus bearing witness to the daily life of the mountain communities of the Aosta Valley.
House Dondeynaz Tóne
This stone residence, emblematic of eighteenth-century Aosta Valley architecture, narrates a layered history marked by two distinct construction phases: the left section, erected in 1743 by Martin Dondeynaz, and the right, added in 1776 by his son Don Pierre Dondeynaz, provost of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Aosta. Don Pierre, a prominent ecclesiastical figure and founder of a school in Champoluc in 1770, even had the opportunity to converse with Napoleon Bonaparte during the passage of the French army in 1800. The house, later inherited by Jean-Baptiste Dondeynaz, known as Tóne, lent its name to the small square that hosts it. On the façade are preserved two devotional frescoes, albeit partially deteriorated. To the right of the entrance stands Saint Barbara, depicted full-length with the palm of martyrdom and the symbol of the tower, which legend holds was her paternal prison struck by lightning. The work, dated 1878, is confidently attributed to Franz Curta, an illustrious painter from the Aosta Valley. On the upper floor, a sacred scene portrays the Madonna and Child enthroned between Saint Anne and Saint Martin, patron saints respectively of Champoluc and Antagnod. Saint Anne, enveloped in ochre and brown tones, welcomes the faithful with her gaze, while Saint Martin, holding the pastoral staff and wearing episcopal vestments, invites them to prayer. The initials J.M.D. and the dates 1836 and 1948, inscribed on the cartouche, bear witness to the patron and the subsequent restoration of the fresco. This house is thus a precious treasure chest of local history, art, and devotion.
House Dondeynaz Mehtret
This residence, the Casa Dondeynaz Mehtret, tells a story through its walls that unfolds from the 16th to the 20th century, bearing witness to multiple phases of construction and transformation. The original structure dates back to the sixteenth century, but the building was enhanced with additional floors in the eighteenth century, as recalled by the date 1738 engraved on the ridge beam, accompanied by the initials JM and JAD, identifying Jean Martin and Jean Antoine Duc, the protagonists of that renovation. Further modifications were made during the nineteenth century, marked by the inscriptions “D.D. 1864” and “DJM 1864” on the exterior masonry, while a mission cross dated 1870 testifies to the intense devotion and religious practices connected to the house. A particularly precious iconographic element is the fresco of the Good Shepherd that decorates the entrance staircase: here Christ is depicted in half-length according to a Christian tradition that shows Him dressed in a red tunic and cloaked in blue, symbols of royalty and mercy. With His left hand He holds a long pastoral staff, while on His shoulders He carries a lamb, an emblem of care and spiritual protection. The landscape background, with mountain and brambles, accentuates the pastoral and symbolic character of the image. The initials DD, placed on either side of the fresco, refer to the patron Dauphin Dondeynaz, whose devotion is also manifested in similar works, such as the one on the façade of the parish house of Antagnod. This residence is not merely architecture, but an open book on local history, faith, and tradition.
House of the Notary Dondeynaz called Casa Dondéna
The House of Notary Dondeynaz, also known as Casa Dondéna, stands with its imposing three-level structure as a witness to a long architectural evolution between the 16th and 19th centuries. This residence, besides being an example of a noble dwelling in stone and wood typical of the Val d’Ayas, houses within its walls precious devotional frescoes that mark the various phases of its history. On the east façade, the Black Madonna is depicted in a red arabesque dress and blue mantle, inspired by the Vierge Noire of Chartres and the Madonna of Loreto, firmly holding a scepter while the Child, dressed in green, holds a little bird symbolizing the Passion. Beside it, the crucified Christ of 1748, bleeding and crowned with thorns, is flanked by the Addolorata and a Saint in a brown habit, while another 19th-century fresco represents the Crucifixion with Mary Magdalene, featuring a suggestive glimpse of ancient Jerusalem. These paintings, together with the image of Maria Refugium Pecatorum, which recalls the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of 1854, and the Madonna of Oropa, compose an iconographic cycle of great artistic and religious value. The second floor of the house, once a workshop for sabot makers, reveals the integration between domestic life and artisanal activity. The social role of the notary, a prominent figure between the 17th and 18th centuries, emerges not only in the architecture but also in the precious prix-faits drafted to regulate building works, fundamental documents that testify to construction techniques and local customs, transmitted with rigor and precision. Casa Dondeynaz is therefore not merely a residence, but a living archive of the legal, artistic, and social history of the valley.
House of the Guides
The Casa delle Guide di Champoluc, a rascard dating back to 1713, stands as a tangible symbol of the mountaineering tradition of the Valle d’Aosta. In 1965, this wooden structure, dismantled and transported from its original site, was reassembled on a solid green stone foundation in the heart of Champoluc, becoming the first official headquarters of the alpine guides of the area. This building is not merely a physical refuge but an authentic treasure trove of history: its origin reflects the evolution of a profession that, emerging in the final decades of the 19th century, has deep roots in the challenges of the mountain economy and the passion for alpinism. Giuseppe Favre, known as Morich, was the first licensed guide of Ayas, a name that stands alongside those of Fosson, Obert, Frachey, and Brunod, pioneers of a craft that combined courage and technical skill. Before the Great War, guides were engaged by an elite clientele, often for entire seasons, thus contributing to the establishment of mountain tourism and the birth of local hotels in the 1920s. The true turning point came in the postwar period, when the Società Guide di Champoluc-Ayas, formalized in 1962, succeeded in uniting the forces of the local guides, fostering the growth of more accessible tourism thanks to the installation of ski lifts. Today, this house is the beating heart of a community of guides who, combining experience and innovation, continue to safeguard and promote the alpine spirit of Ayas.
Casa Chasseur Pressy
This stone house, which we admire today fully restored, preserves traces of a history that dates back before the 19th century. Over the following two centuries, the structure underwent expansions and modifications, adapting to the needs of the time. It is interesting to note that, in the 1920s, the ground floor, located beneath the living quarters, housed a shop known as the ‘beutteca vieilla,’ while the top floor was used as a granary, a testament to the mixed residential and productive function typical of rural houses in this valley. The southwest façade is distinguished by a devotional fresco of great iconographic and historical value: the Virgin Mary depicted in the Immaculate Conception, painted within a blue frame. The image portrays Mary with a halo, wrapped in a blue mantle, arms outstretched, descending to Earth while crushing the serpent’s head – a symbol of sin – and standing upon a lunar crescent. In the background, an imaginary city surrounded by sharp mountains can be glimpsed, a detail that enriches the scene with a mystical and evocative aura. On the sides of the frame, the names TOBIE CHASSEUR and JT. VUILLERMET appear with the date 1867, likely referring to the patron and the author of the work. The external inscription “O MARIE CONÇUE SANS PÉCHÉ” underscores the Marian invocation linked to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, solemnly defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, an event that intensified popular devotion throughout the valley, already deeply rooted.
Casa Brunod Rosse
This precious testimony of popular devotion dates back to 1776, when a patron identified by the initials M.F. commissioned the frescoing of a sacred image with a strong medieval appeal directly on the façade of Casa Brunod Rosse. The central Crucifix is flanked by two saints whose identification remains debated: on the left could be Saint Matthias the Apostle, recognizable by the axe, symbol of his martyrdom and patron of carpenters and butchers, or Saint Jude Thaddeus, called ‘the magnanimous’, often depicted with a halberd, the weapon of his torment, and invoked in desperate situations. On the right, the saint in episcopal robes is probably Saint Giocondo or Saint Martin of Tours, figures of great prominence in the religious landscape of the Aosta Valley. Two flying angels, capturing the blood from Christ’s wounds in chalices, add a touch of symbolic depth, while in the luminous sky appear the sun and the moon, cosmic elements rare in local depictions of the Crucifixion but emblematic of the universal dimension of the sacrifice. The inspiration for this particularly distinctive composition has its roots in iconographic models of the past, visible in the Castello di Fénis (1414), the Castello di Issogne (late 15th century), and the Messale di Sant’Orso (late 14th century), testimonies that underline an artistic and spiritual continuity spanning the centuries in this valley.
House Brunod Peagna and Favre Zac
This residence, whose origins date back to 1754, bears inscribed on its ridge the date accompanied by the initials LDN, identifying Louis Dondeynaz, a notary of the time, and the trigram IHS, a Christian symbol of great significance. This inscription is not merely a mark of ownership but also a testament to the spirituality prevalent in the rural context of the Aosta Valley in the eighteenth century. The structure has undergone significant transformations over time: in 1860, the initials IMV and DIP were engraved on the corner corbels supporting the balcony, likely referring to new owners or craftsmen involved in the renovation; a further modification is recorded in 1886, the year inscribed on the chimney, an architectural element fundamental in mountain homes for its heating and ventilation function. The house maintained its connection with the Dondeynaz family until the mid-nineteenth century, thus embodying a historical continuity that reflects the social and patrimonial dynamics of the Valle d’Aosta. The combination of original and subsequent elements renders this dwelling an emblematic example of local architectural evolution, where stone and wood merge with symbolism that narrates stories of life, faith, and belonging.
House with concentrated functions
This imposing structure bears witness to an architectural and historical evolution spanning from the 15th to the 18th century, as revealed by meticulous dendrochronological analyses conducted on the original timbers. The internal larch beams, felled between the autumn of 1492 and the winter of 1493, mark the initial phase of construction, while the ridge beam, also in larch, dates to the autumn-winter of 1577/78, indicating a subsequent expansion or renovation. The use of spruce for pillars and joists, dated between 1581 and 1582, highlights a further phase of structural consolidation, whereas the upper parts of the house were constructed around 1702/03, confirming the continuous use and updating of this residence over time. The entrance to the first floor is particularly significant: the lintel, carved in the shape of an inverted ship’s hull, bears the coats of arms of Casa Savoia, a tangible symbol of the privileged relationship between the owner and the Savoy administration, thus reflecting not only the residential function but also the political and social role of the dwelling. This house with concentrated functions therefore represents a perfect example of historic architecture that blends precious materials and heraldic symbolism, narrating the story of a territory in transformation between the Renaissance and the Modern Age.
Chapel and Church of Sant’Anna
The Chapel of Sant’Anna represents a precious fragment of the village’s religious and architectural history, its origins dating back to 1715, when it was erected to replace the older Chapel of Sant’Antonio. This structure, situated on the left bank of the Evançon, beside the bridge, was for centuries the spiritual heart of the local community. In 1718, the chapel assumed the role of rectory and, from 1770 onwards, also housed a school, emphasizing its social as well as religious function. Its deterioration led to closure, but in 1836, thanks to the dedication of the renowned parish priest François Victor Amé Dandrès, it was rebuilt in its present form, earning parish independence from Antagnod in 1846. A particularly noteworthy element is the nineteenth-century fresco by Franz Curta, placed above the doorway, where Sant’Anna is depicted teaching the Holy Scriptures to the young Mary, symbolically accompanied by her father Saint Joachim. The lily Mary holds in her hand is an emblem of purity, while the inscription on the architrave bears the date 1840, attesting to the period of restoration. The main altar, finely crafted in painted and gilded wood, together with the original paintings, was transferred to the nearby modern church, designed by architect Mario Roggero and consecrated in 1970 by Monsignor Ovidio Lari. The chapel still preserves a remarkable acoustic heritage, with six bells, the oldest dating back to 1579 and originating from Antagnod, while the newest dates from 1962, bearing witness to the long continuity of the local bell-ringing tradition. Today, transformed into a cinema, the Chapel of Sant’Anna continues to serve as a cultural landmark in the heart of the village.
Barns
The arched wooden doors with built-in locks on the two barns are original. These buildings are so large that the ridge beam supporting the roof is made up of three larch logs joined together. The date 1563 is engraved on a stone above the entrance door.
Pian Villy
The forest consists almost entirely of spruce trees, while the undergrowth is made up of juniper, heather, barberry, and blueberry. Along the trail, which runs flat along the Evançon stream, you can admire many wooden sculptures carved on-site by renowned artists from the Aosta Valley who created their works from the trunks of trees felled by a tornado in 2009. New sculptures are created during the Ayas Artisanat event, a festival dedicated to traditional Aosta Valley crafts, during which artists create their works based on a different theme each year.
