Attractions and Places To See around Valpelline - Top 20

The Rifugio Oratorio di Cunéy, perched at 2,652 meters in the heart of the Saint-Barthélemy valley, stands next to the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Nevi, one of the highest in Europe. Built on the ruins of a chapel dating back to 1656, it now welcomes hikers with simple warmth, wooden rooms, and home-cooked food, becoming a refuge and place of pilgrimage. The path to reach it from Lignan or Porliod winds through larch forests, pastures, and alpine lakes, up to the panoramic Col du Salvé, a prelude to the Cunéy basin, where the surrounding peaks protect this wild and sacred corner. In a single dive, sacredness merges with the mountain warmth: here the silence is profound, interrupted only by the wind and prayers, and every night captures the essence of haute montagne and alpine simplicity. At the back, a winter shelter (open all year round) is available to hikers who, having reached this place, wish to stop for the night, although the refuge and chapel are closed during the winter and low season.

near the refuge, the oratory is a witness to mountain civilization. Worth seeing are the ex-votos of the locals. Always open, the oratory reflects the great sacredness of the places and the mountains around.

currently the railway line is interrupted but we managed to leave from Chatillon by bus loading the bikes towards Aosta, then take the cycle path along the Dora Baltea mostly downhill. we found some interrupted sections with diversions

The regional capital is located in the middle of the valley of the same name. The city still has the layout of the old Roman castrum, and in the car-free centre several monuments recall the Roman period. Aosta was a lively religious centre in the Middle Ages. St. Anselm, the later Archbishop of Canterbury who died in 1109, was born here. Today Aosta is a busy tourist hub at the crossroads of the roads to the Great St. Bernard Pass and Switzerland.

Piazza Émile Chanoux is the central square of Aosta, located in the Valle d’Aosta region of Italy. Named after the notary and resistance leader Émile Chanoux, the square is a rectangular square with its long sides facing north and south. The square is surrounded by elegant buildings, including the neoclassical Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville), which is richly decorated with frescoes and marquetry. In front of the Town Hall is a monument to the Soldier of the Aosta Valley, made by Pietro Canonica in 1924. The square serves as a meeting place and venue for festivals and markets, and is also home to the Hôtel des États, an important 18th-century building now used for temporary exhibitions.

Very nice and welcoming, easily reachable on foot

About 3 hours to reach the refuge, where next to it is the Oratorio di Cuney sanctuary, the highest Marian sanctuary (dedicated to the Heavenly Mother) in Europe. There are several routes to reach it, the more adventurous can try the Passet path, exposed and equipped with chains, otherwise there is the alternative of the classic path

Magià is a mountain refuge in the Valle d'Aosta. It is located in the Saint-Barthélemy Valley, at 2007 meters above sea level, in the La Servaz area of the municipality of Nus (AO). The wild charm of the high mountain forests and prairies. The primitive beauty of the ridges and peaks. The magic of a clear starry sky that takes your breath away. Traveling through the Saint-Barthélemy Valley means immersing yourself in one of the most authentic and unspoiled natural environments, not only in the Valle d'Aosta, but in the entire Alpine region. From the mountain hut you can take numerous easy and moderate walks. You can choose the excursion that suits you: several circuits are within everyone's reach! Other, slightly more challenging trails will take you to some of the peaks that surround us, from where you can admire unforgettable views. Reaching Rifugio Magià is also very pleasant by bike (to try with rental e-bikes), the farm road is largely flat in spring and summer and easily accessible for adults and children! Source: https://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/22/rifugi-alpini/nus/rifugio-magia/9003267