The best city hikes and walks in the Aosta Valley

Mountain tour through woods and spectacular panoramas

Arpuilles is a hamlet in the municipality of Aosta, nestled on the hill north of the city at an altitude of about 1000 meters. The village, along with nearby Signayes, is part of that system of mid-mountain settlements that the Salassi—the Celtic population who inhabited the valley before the Roman conquest—seemed to prefer to the valley floors, and which over the centuries has maintained a rural character distinct from that of the underlying capital. So strong was this sense of identity that in the past the inhabitants of Arpuilles and Signayes even attempted to separate from the municipality of Aosta to form an autonomous municipality. The inhabited core consists of stone and wood houses arranged along the road that climbs from the plain, surrounded by meadows, pastures, and deciduous woods. From Arpuilles, one enjoys an open view of the Aosta basin and the surrounding mountains: Monte Emilius, Becca di Nona, and, in the distance, the peaks of Gran Paradiso. Its sunny position, sheltered from the north winds, has historically made it an area for spring and autumn grazing. Here passes the terminal section of the Ru Neuf, the ancient irrigation canal from 1327 that brought water from Étroubles to the hill of Aosta.

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.

The museum is housed in a former monastery. Its modern architecture contrasts pleasantly with the objects from the time of the Roman occupation of the valley, including anthropomorphic columns, carved bracelets and pins, bronze death masks and tools. The facade stands out with its frescoes.

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.

The Arco di Augusto was built in 25 BC in honour of Emperor Augustus after the Roman victory over the Salassi. This impressive arch marks the northern entrance to the city and is located in line with the decumanus maximus. It is made of conglomerate blocks and has a single arch with a height of 11.40 metres. The ten half-columns on the facades and sides are decorated with Corinthian capitals. The Doric frieze, with metopes and triglyphs, adds a classical touch. In the Middle Ages it was known as Saint-Voût because of an image of the Redeemer that was placed there. During the 12th century it served as a residence for a local noble family and later as a fortress for the balestrieri. In 1716 the roof was replaced with slate due to water damage. The current appearance is the result of restoration work in 1912. Under the arch is a wooden cross, a copy of the original placed in 1449 as a votive offering against flooding from the Buthier River.

One of the most characteristic monuments of Aosta that tells of its Roman origins: built in 25 BC. by Aulo Terenzio Varrone Murena, not far from the eastern entrance of the walls.