The best traffic-free bike rides around Ollomont

The crystal clear and very cool mountain water is channelled downhill for irrigation. An refreshing cool-down is ensured at any time.

Il Prarayer is an alpine plateau located at about 2000 meters above sea level, at the end of the Place-Moulin lake. It is reached by a simple path that runs along the lake, almost always flat. The environment is open, with meadows, small streams, and some alpine pasture buildings. The landscape is surrounded by high peaks and glacial environments, clearly visible in the background. The Rifugio Prarayer is located here, used as a base for longer excursions. The area is suitable for a quiet break after the walk along the lake. Itineraries to side valleys and high-altitude routes start from here. Despite the altitude, the setting remains accessible and not very demanding.

The Place Moulin dam is a majestic arch-gravity dam, designed to make the most of the narrow and incised conformation of the valley. Its concrete structure develops with a slight curvature, which allows the water's thrust to be transferred to the lateral rock walls, reducing direct pressure on the base and ensuring high stability. With a height of approximately 155 meters and a crest length of over 600 meters, it represents one of the most imposing hydraulic works in the Italian Alps. The artificial basin formed upstream reaches a capacity of over 100 million cubic meters of water, mainly fed by the Buthier stream and glacial meltwater. The plant is an integral part of a hydroelectric system: the accumulated water is conveyed through penstocks to power plants located downstream, where the head is transformed into energy. The management of levels is regulated by surface and bottom outlets, designed to control both floods and ordinary releases.

The Marmitta dei Giganti in Bionaz is a striking cavity carved into the rock that tells of the power of the alpine glaciers. It formed during the last ice age, when meltwaters, laden with sand and stones, channeled into powerful vortices: the debris, rotating ceaselessly, smoothed the rock to create this deep, almost perfectly shaped "pot". Alongside the scientific explanation, the charm of legend also survives: it is said that giants dug these cavities, using them as containers or leaving their superhuman strength imprinted on them. It is precisely this intertwining of nature and imagination that makes the place so fascinating.

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.

This path runs along the Buthier stream and connects Porossan-Le Neyve to Roisan.

At this point, there's a covered rest area ideal for those pedaling these trails, complete with an e-bike charging station and a tire pump. From the rest area, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the valley floor, perfect for a relaxing break during your hike or bike ride.

You can also stay for just a few hours: the hour costs 50 cents (as of 2025).