The best traffic-free bike rides around Oyace

Mountain tour through woods and spectacular panoramas

Lignan is located at about 1,600 meters in the Vallone di Saint-Barthélemy, in an open position that marks the transition from the woods to a more alpine environment. The road that reaches it is regular and very rideable, with an ever-widening view as you ascend. Here you will also find the Astronomical Observatory of the Aosta Valley, in an area particularly favorable for the quality of the sky.

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.

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

In this stretch the road, with very low traffic intensity, runs between the vineyards that cover the slopes that slope down towards the valley floor, with a southern exposure that ensures direct sunlight throughout the year, even in the winter months.

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.

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.