Vens: Lago di Joux, Art and Rural Culture

Vens can be discovered from two perspectives: as a place with routes into the mountain landscape and as a setting for rural culture. The circular route Vens – Lago di Joux – Letanaz Dessous begins in Vens. On the Vetan – Vens route, path 17 corresponds to stage 13 of the Cammino Balteo. This gives you a destination where a specific hiking route can be combined with the character of the village, local customs and art.

Routes to Lago di Joux

There are two routes from Vens to Lago di Joux, each with different characteristics. The paved route from Vens to Lago di Joux is 2 kilometres long, takes around 40 minutes and is also easy to walk with a pushchair. In addition, a direct, partly steep route leads from the village of Vens to the lake in around 25 minutes. If you are travelling with children or prefer a particular type of route, you can take these two options into account when planning your day.

Lago di Joux lies at an altitude of 1,902 metres and is approximately 2 kilometres from the village of Vens. The lake is therefore one of the village’s specific landscape features. The combination of altitude, lake and different types of routes is suitable both for walks with a pushchair and for a more direct, partly steep connection.

Art and Rural Culture in Vens

Vens is one of the seven important stations of L’AttraversArt, where artworks have been installed for an open-air museum. The stations include explanatory Corten steel totems, seating and sculptures. In Vens, you therefore encounter artworks alongside elements that invite you to pause and take a closer look.

Le Desarpe de Vertosan is also part of Vens’s cultural profile. It is an ancient tradition of the mountain year, centred on the livestock farmers and their animals. During Le Desarpe de Vertosan, herds of livestock pass through Vens. The tradition thus directly connects rural heritage with the village.

In the village, you can stroll through narrow alleyways and discover restored buildings as well as old rural houses. The Ru de Vens is an artificially constructed irrigation channel. Together with L’AttraversArt and the Le Desarpe de Vertosan tradition, this creates several distinct points of connection for a trip in which you want to get to know not only the landscape but also the built and lived environment.

Mountains and Cultural Monuments in the Surrounding Area

The summit of Mont Greume is located in the immediate vicinity of Vens. The Roncas Palace, Becca France, Mount Testa Serena, Mount Mont de la Tza and the Criptoportico Forense Monument are located in the area surrounding Vens. If you plan your days beyond the village itself, these mountains, the palace and the monument are among the geographical reference points around Vens.

The wider region surrounding Vens also includes Castello di Fenis and the ruins of Le Crêt. The cultural and landscape setting therefore extends from the narrow alleyways and old rural houses in Vens to more broadly defined regional destinations. You can consequently shape your stay according to your interests, choosing between routes to the lake, mountain landmarks, art, local customs and architecture.

For the overarching travel overview: Saint Nicolas.