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Bridges and old houses in Champorcher Valley
An original architecture, linked to the impervious land
Location
212 km from Annecy, 116 km from Chamonix, 193 km from Geneva, 60 km from Aosta.
Architectural topics
In a steep, rocky valley like the Champorcher, connections between one river bank and another were not simple operations. Resting the bridges' foundations on rocky whirlpools, with tumultuous waters above, the building masters of the XVII and XVII centuries built works of art that even today still withstand the most incredible loads. Just 6 km from the central valley, in the capital of Pontboset, a route links different hump back bridges on the fearsome Rathus; they lead to the valleys on the sunny slope where numerous abandoned villages
212 km from Annecy, 116 km from Chamonix, 193 km from Geneva, 60 km from Aosta.
Architectural topics
In a steep, rocky valley like the Champorcher, connections between one river bank and another were not simple operations. Resting the bridges' foundations on rocky whirlpools, with tumultuous waters above, the building masters of the XVII and XVII centuries built works of art that even today still withstand the most incredible loads. Just 6 km from the central valley, in the capital of Pontboset, a route links different hump back bridges on the fearsome Rathus; they lead to the valleys on the sunny slope where numerous abandoned villages
are to be found. The houses, perched on the slope, are characterised by their "soulei", tall barns closed in by vertical axis walls and held together by pillars on the corner. Small 2 storey stone houses, built alongside, acted as dryhouses for chestnuts and remind us that, up to a height of 1000m, there was no other reason for inhabiting this valley other than the presence of this nutritional fruit. Further up, the culture of cereals becomes difficult. The fields of rye from the past, hanging one over the other, thanks to the terraced layout of the slopes, characterise this literally man-made countryside. In villages like Outre l’Eve, numerous barns for sheaves and wheat bear witness to the skills of carpenters in this
original Alpine valley that is there to be explored. The "Lou Dzeut" hemp ethnographic museum in Chardonney was set up under an old XVIII century barn, furnishing an inhabited stable on the example of those in Champorcher in winter. The locals were specialised in weaving hemp and this precious, essential raw material for everyday life was sent from all over the Valle d'Aosta, to make underwear, fabrics and sheets.
