In this small alpine rural settlement, the remarkable size of its 17th–18th century buildings stands out, constructed in stone and wood but featuring some innovations compared to the architectural models of previous centuries. The rascards display more refined elements, such as logs squared with an axe instead of simply stripped of bark; the threshing floor remains at the center, but the number of grain storage rooms increases from one to two on each side. They are sometimes without supporting pillars (“mushrooms” or jambes) because they are already placed directly on the two-level masonry base: the ground floor for the stable (ehtoul) and the cellar (crota), the upper floor for the péyo, the heated living room positioned above the stable to benefit from the animals’ warmth, and for the kitchen (majón) with its large fireplace. A balcony surrounds the first floor along the valley side, and access to the various levels takes place from the outside, with short flights of stairs or by taking advantage of the slope of the terrain.
On some beams, the construction date and religious symbols are still preserved, such as the trigram IHS (Jesus, Iesus Hominum Salvator). A devotional fresco depicting the Holy Trinity (a widespread theme in Ayas due to the presence of the confraternity of the same name) was painted on the valley-facing façade of a large building dating back to 1732, now completely restored.
Following the paved lane, you reach the ancient communal oven, now back in operation and lit on special occasions.
