The best cycling routes around Jovençan

Pila is a mountain resort located at about 1,800 meters above Aosta, known for both winter sports and summer activities. Its position makes it a privileged panoramic viewpoint: on clear days, the view opens up over a large part of the Aosta Valley Alpine arc, from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn to Monte Rosa.

Gressan is a municipality at the gates of Aosta, located on the right orographic side of the Dora Baltea and an access point to various climbs towards the higher altitudes of the valley. From here begins one of the most continuous ascents in the area, with regular hairpin bends and constant gradients.

Valley floor access point a few minutes from Aosta, located near the confluence of the Dora Baltea and the Buthier stream. Several ascents to the surrounding slopes start from here.

The Torre de la Plantà, located between Gressan and Jovençan, stands alone in the plain like an austere witness to the past. Probably built between the 11th and 12th centuries, its origins are still shrouded in mystery: some hypotheses even link it to the Roman period. The name derives from the De Plantata family, to whom the original construction is attributed, but over time the tower passed into the hands of other noble families, including the Bardonanche and the Vallaise, until it became private property in the 19th century. From an architectural point of view, it has a square plan and massive walls, built in local stone with a regular technique. The structure was divided into several floors, with elevated doors probably accessible via wooden galleries and removable stairs, typical of defensive towers. The slits, narrow on the outside and wider on the inside, highlight the attention to the observation and defense function. Traces of other surrounding buildings now disappeared suggest a small fortified complex. Today the tower is in ruins and not accessible to the public, but it retains an intact charm, accentuated by its isolated position among vineyards and fields.

Immersed in the greenery of the Favret meadows, the small church of Santa Maria Maddalena dates back to the 12th century, when it was an autonomous parish dependent on the Chapter of the Cathedral of Aosta. Its apse and bell tower, characterized by an evocative "spur" that supports the structure, preserve intact the imposing sobriety of the primordial Romanesque. Between 1460 and 1463 the church experienced a second artistic splendor: the nave was enlarged and both the external part (facade) and the interior were decorated with a rich cycle of frescoes by Giacomino da Ivrea and his itinerant workshop. The façade features lively scenes: the Mass of Saint Gregory with the blood of Christ filling the chalice; Saint George facing the dragon; Saint Christopher ferrying the Baby Jesus; and, crowning all, Saint Martha, Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Lazarus. Inside, in the apse, a majestic Christ Pantocrator is revealed surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists, while on the side walls the twelve Apostles can be distinguished. Under the arch that divides the choir and the nave, fourteen panels tell the stories of Mary Magdalene. The works of the fifteenth century were commissioned by the noble De Villa (or La Tour de Villa), lords of Gressan, or by Giacomo dei Challant, lord of Aymavilles, whose family appears in the frescoed symbols. The building maintained the status of parish until 1786, when it was incorporated into Santo Stefano, thus becoming a simple chapel. In 1938, the church was the subject of passionate restoration: the paintings, covered with lime for centuries, were recovered and brought back to their ancient splendor.

At the gates of Gressan, next to the Dora Baltea and along the cycle path that connects Sarre to Pontey, there is the splendid green area "Les Îles". Extending over a surface area of 38,959 m2, it is dedicated to the practice of traditional games and surrounded by a 1,028-meter cycle ring, which can also be used as a fitness trail, jogging track and roller skating track. The area is equipped with a children's playground, an artificial sports climbing gym, two fountains and numerous benches. Access is free, but in some periods of the year it may be partially limited to allow training and competitions of traditional local games such as rebatta, fiolet and tzan. In particular, from March 1 to May 31 and from September 1 to October 15, a part of the area and the related section of the cycle path are reserved for these activities. In the immediate vicinity there are bars, restaurants and a private sports center with a swimming pool and padel courts, both indoor and outdoor, with catering service. The entire area is connected to the Montfleury sports center in Aosta via a cycle/pedestrian walkway that crosses the Dora Baltea and is served by two convenient parking lots.

The Torre del Lebbroso dates back to the 13th century and stands on the western corner of the old Roman city walls of Augusta Praetoria. The tower was originally built on the foundations of an earlier Roman tower. The tower was once owned by the noble De Friour family. Later it was used as part of the Hospice de charité and served as a residence for a leper named Pietro Bernardo Guasco. The tower is also famous for the book “Le lépreux de la cité d’Aoste” (translated as “The Leper of the City of Aosta”), written by Xavier de Maistre. Today the Torre del Lebbroso belongs to the Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta and is used as an exhibition space.

The Cappella della Santa Croce was built in 1682. The interior of the chapel is characterized by a beautiful Baroque altar in the Valsesian style. The exterior of the chapel has a trompe-l'œil facade, with a fresco depicting the story of the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena (the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great).