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Ayas

2.066 metri

Résy Réze

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

The village of Résy (Réze in patois), in a panoramic position at the entrance to the Bettaforcaz valley and at the foot of the Palon di Résy, is a cluster of a few stone and wooden houses dating from between the 16th and 19th centuries, partly restored and converted both into private homes and into an alpine refuge for hikers.

At one time, it was one of the highest settlements in Europe, permanently inhabited all year round and equipped with an oven and two mills.

Its location, at the crossroads of various paths intersecting along the north-south and east-west axes, lay on the busiest and most convenient trade route connecting Ayas to Gressoney and onward to the territory of Alagna and the Duchy of Milan. Documents from the 17th century testify to the passage of livestock from the north and Lombard textiles from the south. Trade, driven by the Walser who had already settled in the Saint-Jacques-des-Allemands basin by the mid-13th century, remained flourishing until the arrival of the Little Ice Age in the 17th century, which hindered the various transit routes.

The Ferraro Refuge, inaugurated in 1932, is housed in a stone and wooden building bearing, carved on the entrance lintel, the construction date (1560) and the “number 4,” a mark of Germanic origin found in Valais, known in Ayas through only a few examples and widespread among the Walser communities of Gressoney and Valsesia.

A fresco depicts the popular legend of the hermit of Résy, a sort of ascetic who, according to tradition, lived in a cave, the Borna dè l’Ermétto, along the old path leading from Saint-Jacques to Alpe Ciarcerio (Alpage de Charchérioz or, in patois, Tcharchério).

Map of Résy

A house with concentrated functions

The ground floor of this large building was entirely taken up by stables, whilst the first floor housed the kitchen and the upper floor contained the bedrooms. It is said that six generations lived in this house, which was inhabited continuously until the 1950s, weathering the seasons and weathering years of poor harvests.

The Legend of the Hermit of Résy

When Résy was still just a wood, a hermit lived there who made his living from a small flock. As the church at Antagnod was a three-hour walk away, he, though very devout, rarely went there. Once, around Easter time, the parish priest sent for him to receive confession and communion. The hermit accepted the invitation and braved the hardships of a long and arduous journey. Upon entering the sacristy, whilst the parish priest was reproaching him for his absence from services, he took off his cloak, folded it and placed it in the ray of sunlight streaming through the window. At that sight, the parish priest was struck with amazement and dismissed the good man before even hearing his confession, realising that he had no need of his absolution.

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