Valle d’Aosta is a popular destination for several reasons – think mountain hikes, ski resorts and the many fascinating castles as just some examples.
The Revivre Village, located in the Champorcher Valley, is ideal not only to experience nature closely but also as a starting point to discover the many castles that can be reached in less than half an hour by car.
CASTLES OF ISSOGNE AND VERRES
The castles of Issogne and Verres are particularly loved by our guests. And the good news is that they are so close it is possible to visit them on the same day.
The famous Challant family, who ruled Valle d’Aosta for centuries, owned both buildings. The manor of Issogne was used as a residence, while the fortress of Verres, given its location and structure, was a military fort aimed to protect the surrounding properties.
The castle of Verres, perched at the entrance to the Val d’Ayas, is famous for its grandeur and cube-like shape. Majestic and unmissable, the ideal starting point of the visit is the village of Verres, easy to reach with a half-hour walk along the old mule track.
As you approach the castle, you will begin to admire its grandeur and vertically powerful structure.
The interior features a large staircase around a courtyard. Its large rooms evoke many stories linked to Caterina di Challand, celebrated every year among these walls during the Historical Carnival in February.
Back outside and on to the plain below, we reach the Issogne Castle: a real jewel that takes its visitors into the majestic Renaissance age. Its walls are stunning but are not testimony to the splendour you will discover inside.
The rooms are completely frescoed with subjects from the life of that time – it is notable that they are still fully furnished, a truly unique feature of this manor.
During your visit will find tables set with food, hunting tools and beds made in the finest fabrics. In the outer courtyard, the undisputed symbol of this castle, you will find the pomegranate fountain: an original work of rare beauty, entirely chiselled out of iron.
THE SAVOIA CASTLE
If you want to step into a magical fairy tale world, you cannot miss a visit to the Savoia Castle, located in the Gressoney Valley, about an hour’s drive from the Revivre Village.
The structure of this castle is worthy of the best Disney-inspired designs.
Queen Margherita, a well-known lover of the mountains and in particular of the Monte Rosa massif, asked her husband, King Umberto I of Savoy to gift her with this charming building.
Built in 1901, the castle with its structure and interiors is a beautiful example of Art Nouveau architecture.
Everything has been designed to experience a luxury mountain holiday: breath-taking verandas offering postcard-worthy views, fine wooden floors, a grand internal staircase still evoking the past of this place and its guests.
It is worth mentioning the technical virtues of the building, that in 1901 already had electricity and kitchens equipped with food racks.
Do not hold back: after visiting the castle, go on and explore the nearby village of Gressoney. This valley is permeated by the Walser culture, which has influenced the architecture, the dialect, and the habits of its people – treasures that you will only find in this little corner of Aosta Valley.
The majestic mountains in this part of the world have stood still for millennia, centuries and seasons leaving them unspoiled. A visit to the Valley’s castles will allow you to experience a distant and fascinating era, crystallised in time among these mountains.