Oyace between Tornalla, Churches and Mountain Trails

Oyace combines impressive mountain landscapes with traces of a long local history. If you would like to combine culture, nature and hiking trails in Italy, you will find a wide range of points of interest here: an octagonal tower, historic churches and chapels, trails crossing high mountain passes, and areas with a rich variety of wildlife.

Between Tornalla and Ponte della Betenda

La Tornalla is an old octagonal tower in Oyace, documented from 1197 onwards. The gorge at Ponte della Betenda offers a completely different impression: it is 54 metres deep and was carved into gneiss by the waters of the Buthier River. In the hamlet of Le Bouyoz, the remains of the stone Croce della Peste can also still be seen beside the former gate.

Churches, Chapels and Sacred Art

The Church of San Michele was built in 1788 in place of a chapel documented since 1623. The church contains frescoes by the painter Margotti dating from 1914, including a depiction of the Multiplication of the Loaves with Christ in the hamlet of Le Ile. Following the interior restoration in 2018, San Michele houses a small museum of sacred art. The Museo Arte Sacra also includes a carved and heavily repainted wooden statue of Saint Michael from the 16th century.

The Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Chapel stands on the high pastures of Verdonaz at an altitude of 2,317 metres. It was built in 1942 from stones obtained locally; lime and cement were transported uphill from Oyace by mule. Local public art also includes ten sculptures created live in Oyace by Maurizio Bombino, Marcel Diemoz, Salvatore Fernando Di Mauro, Fausto Linty and Dante Marquet from 9 August to 15 August 2022. Today, they adorn the Le Château playground and the path to Tornalla.

Hiking Trails and Wildlife

The Tour Tornalla circular trail is well signposted and presents no technical difficulties. A section of Alta Via No. 1 crosses Oyace and connects the 2,783-metre-high Colle di Vessona with the 2,492-metre-high Col Breuson. Regional hiking trail No. 105 crosses the Vallone di Verdona, entering via the 2,645-metre-high Colle di Saint Barthèlemy and leaving again via the 2,494-metre-high Col d'Arpeyssaou.

The Vallone di Vessona is an area of natural interest with abundant wildlife, including deer, chamois, marmots and eagles. Northwest of Oyace rise the distinctive rocky peaks of the Morion range; their ridges form the watershed with the Ollomont valley. The area around Oyace also includes Mont Gelé, Mont Avril, Cima Livournea and Mont Durand.

Festivals and Local Traditions

Every year on Easter Monday, a procession leads from the Church of San Michele to the Chapel of Chalambé. A Mass and a concluding auction are then held. The Chapel of Chalambé was built in 1784 and renovated in 2008. The celebration in honour of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges takes place every year on 5 August and includes a Mass followed by lunch organised by the Pro Loco of Oyace.

Fishing is also part of the local character: it is still practised in the canal on the edge of the Marais Vivier area. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether to focus on the historic landmarks in the village, processions and sacred art, or on high-altitude trails, valleys and nature observation. In the wider region around Oyace lies the ruin of Le Crêt; the Giardini pubblici Aosta garden is also located nearby.

More Destinations

For your further travel planning: Charvensod, Frachey, Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, Courmayeur, Ayas, Aosta, Jovencan, Doues

To the main travel overview: Aosta Valley.