Heritage: Saint-Vincent

Notice: temporarily closed for works

The archaeological site beneath the parish church of Saint-Vincent is testimony to a continuous occupation starting from the first settlements dating back to the Late Bronze Age / Iron Age. In Roman times (2nd- 4th centuries AD), various buildings with a thermal function were discovered.
After the beginning of the 5th century AD, the area was occupied by tombs, typical of early Christianity, that were positioned from east to west.
Their presence seems to have led to the foundation of a first funerary building. Further stages of burial followed in the 7th and 8th centuries, prior to the erection of the Romanesque church.

Visitors can discover the site using a didactic route fitted with information panels and multimedia support.

La collina di Saint-Vincent annovera con orgoglio, nel corpo dei suoi numerosi villaggi, diversi raccard, granai con un’area centrale, per lavorare il grano, simili a quelli della Valle d’Ayas.

In effetti, nel XVII secolo e all’inizio del XVIII, su entrambi i versanti del Col di Joux, lavoravano gli stessi carpentieri. Inoltre, numerose famiglie intrattenevano rapporti e le abitazioni, fossero esse in pietra o in legno, appartenevano alla medesima area culturale.

I terreni nelle vicinanze dei villaggi della collina erano coltivati a cereali e fieno. A pochi passi dalle case si trovava un bacino idrico, scavato nella terra, che veniva riempito con l’acqua del Ru (Rio) della montagna, proveniente dai ghiacciai di Ayas. Il Ru Courthod passa proprio al Col di Joux, dopo aver percorso quasi 27 km lungo una pendenza assai dolce, attraverso i pascoli, i boschi e le rocce.

I villaggi di Lérinon, Crétamignanaz et Valmignanaz sono tra i meglio conservati. Consentono di compiere un percorso ad anello e osservare tre tipi di borghi abitativi: Lerinon con il suo forno per il pane e le sue grandi abitazioni in pietra dalle funzioni polivalenti; un po’ più in basso Crétamignanaz, un villaggio abbandonato, appartenente un tempo ad una sola famiglia e, infine, Valmignanaz che presenta diversi esempi di raccard con un’area di trebbiatura centrale, granai in aggetto e ceppi di sopraelevazione su una casa di due o tre piani in muratura, ospitante la stalla dabbasso e gli alloggi al piano superiore. Valmignanaz gode del vantaggio d’essere collocato sul ciglio della strada del Col di Joux e poter approfittare del parcheggio di Grun.

The imposing ruins that are visible along the state road leading to Montjovet, give some hint of the ancient majesty of the bridge and recall how the Gallie consular road also crossed this part of the valley.

Only the left hand shoulder of the original construction over the Cillian river remains today, the central arch collapsed in 1839.

Noteworthy due to its elegant design and completed in small sized square slabs, the bridge must have been important not only for the natural function it served, but also as a sign of power and constructive solidity.

THE SHRINE OF GRUN
Situated in the heart of the hill of Saint-Vincent.
The building of the shrine is owing to an idea conceived around 1720 by the priest Pierre Bréan, who was already the deputy parish priest of the town from 1705 to 1713 and very devoted to Our Lady. With an agreement stipulated in 1725, the inhabitants of Grun and Valmignana committed to providing the land and materials necessary, while the reverend Bréan agreed to pay for the works and to furnish the chapel. The temple was completed in 1727, among the participants in the inauguration celebration there was also the abbot Jean-Baptise Perret, in 1770 he discovered the source of thermal water. The shrine very soon became a pilgrimage site and the votive offerings grew more and more, they were brought there by the faithful who had asked for the grace of healing or conversion.
Extended in 1864, the little church has a single nave, a choir, a sacristy and a small chancel. On the walls, alongside the Via Crucis, there are many votive offerings, on the brick wall, between four columns there was once a large painting of Mary, which was stolen in 1992. On a shelf there is a statue of Our Lady, in walnut, it was a gift from a devotee.
On the outside, the entrance, which is recessed from the brickwork, forms a portico. The fresco by Mus is noteworthy, it shows the Virgin welcoming the pilgrims with her arms open wide.
There were once many processions from the suburb of Saint-Vincent to the shrine of Grun: in particular, we recall that at the end of the month of May and the procession of “rain”, which was carried out to ask for the grace of rain or its cessation.

AMAY CHAPEL
It may have been built at the end of the 16th century or during the first decades of the 17th century. The titular of this little church is Saint Gratus, who is also the patron saint of the whole Diocese of Aosta.
The patron’s feast day, which is on the 7th of September was very important for the inhabitants of Amay, every year, on that date, a procession departed from that suburb and reached the district for the mass and vespers. In 1876, the bishop prohibited the celebration of the functions in the villages on the days coinciding with the feasts of the precept. The date of the celebration in the chapel of Amay was therefore moved and such was the disappointment of the inhabitants that, for over fourteen years, they refused to participate in the patron’s feast day at the church of the suburb. Later on, in 1908, the situation returned to normal, thanks also to the liturgical reformation, on the basis of which the patron’s feast days of the diocese were no longer considered precept feasts.
The chapel stands in front of the former inn where Primo Levi stayed and was arrested on 13 December 1943.
What’s more, this chapel was also the seat of a very ancient function: the administration of “Ru Courtaud” had mass celebrated there on the day of the commencement of the springtime works and the works for the maintenance of the canal.
On the facade of the little church, which is protected by quite a protruding roof, there is a large inscription “Saint-Grat, priez pour nous”.
The pure Baroque style altar is noteworthy, in its alcoves there are statues of Saint Gratus, Saint John the Baptist and a Madonna with Child. The Christ on the cross, crowned with a large halo and the large decorated and partially gilded chancel are also noteworthy.

CILLIAN CHAPEL
It stands in the heart of the village, on land that was previously occupied by an old community-owned press.
Completed in 1954, this family chapel, dedicated to the Innocent Saints, was built according to the wishes of the spouses Thérèse and Vincent Gorris, to honour a votive offering expressed during the Second World War.
The facade was frescoed by Italo Mus, a painter from Valle d’Aosta. On the north side, an invocation in French invites passers-by to reflect.
The interior, which is completely covered in pebbles extracted from the Dora, is quite cosy. In the choir, a large painting on wood, the work of Italo Mus, shows the Madonna, wrapped in a red cloak, in the act of crushing the snake. The two altars are also noteworthy (the original one on which the Sacred Heart is sculpted and that built according to the dispositions of the liturgical reform, facing the congregation) and the two windows showing the patron saints of the Gorris spouses, Vincenzo and Teresa.

FEILLEY CHAPEL
The chapel of the village of Feilley was built in accordance with the wishes of Philibert Clappey, who, in a deed dated 1645, agreed to provide the necessary funding for its construction. The temple, which was erected around fifteen years after the plague of 1630, was dedicated to St. Roch, who was always invoked against illnesses and serious epidemics.
The devotion of the inhabitants of Feilley and their affection for the chapel have made various maintenance interventions possible over time and have contributed to the creation of a veritable treasure of art, with certain praiseworthy statues that are now housed in the museum of the parish church.
Despite its small size, this chapel also has a chancel. The choir and the nave measure approximately four metres by four each, the first corresponds to the oratory from 1645, while the second, more recent one, is said to date back to 1747. There are various paintings on the walls, including the Via Crucis with writings in French, English and Portughese. The altar is covered in polychrome wood planks, on which we note a monstrance and two angel heads, in the upper section, between two columns, a beautiful canvas shows the coronation of the Madonna, with the Father, the Son and the dove representing the Holy Spirit, and Saints Roch and Sebastian at the sides.
The Christ on the Cross hanging on the beam between the choir and the nave is noteworthy, it is enriched by a large wooden rosary.

GLEREYAZ CHAPEL
It represents one of the few cases in Valle d’Aosta of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement the pope, who is celebrated by the Church on the 23rd of November.
The construction of this chapel, which is dedicated to God, to the Virgin and to Saint Clement is owing to Clément Morize, who made a donation of a field for this purpose in 1627. Nonetheless, initially, given the high construction costs, only a small oratory was built. During the second decade of the nineteenth century, it was built and extended according to the wishes of the heirs of Morize, who committed to maintaining the building for the annual celebration of the patron’s mass. The chapel was blessed in 1828. Significant restoration works were carried out in 1884, when the current bell tower was built.
On the facade there is an inscription reading: “St. Clément, priez pour nouz”. The interior is simple, the ceiling comprises a vault consisting of two crossed arches. Above the altar there is a large canvas showing Saint Clement the pope.
In this chapel, the inhabitants of Glereyaz gather together during the month of May to recite the rosary.

THE CHAPEL OF LINTY
Situated at the western edge of the hamlet, the chapel appears to guard the Col de Joux.
It was built according to the wishes of the inhabitants of Linty in 1644. They decided to dedicate it to the Visitation of the Madonna and to celebrate the lauds there, a sung mass and the vespers on the day of the patron, the 2nd of July.
The facade is quite particular: pastel pink, without any inscriptions and ornaments, it has an atrium, as far as the entrance is concerned, it is recessed with respect to the external semi-oval brickwork. The small bell tower is characteristic, it has a bell on the protruding roof.
On the inside, the choir and the nave, measuring approximately four metres squared each, are two similar rooms, but they date back to different eras. Here too, in fact, as in other chapels, the choir is said to correspond to the original oratory, which was presumably extended during the second half of the eighteenth century.
The altar, which tends towards a Baroque style, is noteworthy, it has two tortile columns, at the sides of which there are several angel heads. In the alcove in the middle of the altar there is a beautiful statue of the Coronated Virgin, in polychrome wood, it probably dates back to the first half of the eighteenth century. The Via Crucis, which consists of paintings printed in Paris, was donated in 1878 by a lady from Linty.

PERRIERE CHAPEL
Dedicated to Saint James - the Great - whose feast day is celebrated on the 25th of July, this chapel is said to date back to the end of the 16th century. Given its position outside of the village and given the problems with water infiltration, it has always been subject to serious static problems, for which the inhabitants of Perrière have sought a remedy over time, providing proof of their faith and love for their chapel. In 1706 the interior was also enriched with 31 frescoed medallions, which are unfortunately no longer visible today as they are covered by subsequent paintwork.
The choir, which is older than the nave, corresponds to the original oratory and has four frescoes showing the Evangelists. In the upper part of the altar, in an alcove with a small glass door, there is a statue with the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal, dated 1850. The main beam, which is located between the choir and the nave is completely painted with floral motifs, and from it hangs a very beautiful Christ.

PRACOURT CHAPEL
Positioned on a rocky peak a short distance from the Roman bridge, it was originally an oratory wanted by the noble Mistralis family. In 1609, François Mistralis had this oratory extended and built a chapel there, with a characteristic octagonal shape.
The temple is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, celebrated on the 16th of July, on that day a sung mass would be celebrated here and the vespers would be recited. Moreover, Pracourt chapel was the destination of an age-old procession on the third Sunday after Easter.
Towards the end of the 19th century, an image of Our Lady Help of Christians was painted on the facade. A small bell tower houses a little bell with the inscription “N.D. Carmes - 1911 - Haec dono Carolo Delapierre”. The walnut door and the two windows present a very solid stone frame. On the interior, the altar is noteworthy and above it, there is a fresco showing the Virgin of Mount Carmel and the pleading souls of Purgatory under her feet. The agony of Jesus and the Resurrection are painted on the walls.

SALIROD CHAPEL
Situated in the heart of the ancient village of Salirod, on the hill of Saint-Vincent. The act of foundation of the chapel, desired by the local population, dates back to 1774. Perhaps in that year an oratory was extended, which the hamlet probably had from the end of the seventeenth century. The chapel was dedicated to Saint Bartholemew, the patron saint of Salirod, whose feast day is celebrated on the 24th of August.
The walnut door is enriched with panels with geometric motifs. On the roof, a small bell tower houses a little bell, with an inscription: “Jesus Marie S. Joseph O.P.N.[sc. “orate pro nobis”] 1779”. On the inside, the vault of the choir recalls that of the church of Moron: the arches start from eight different points and seem to form a cradle, meeting in a central circle. The altar, which is made of painted wood with gilded features, is simple and linear and is surmounted by a wooden canopy with stuccos and gilding, the only one in the entire parish of Saint-Vincent. Some praiseworthy statues, once housed in the chapel, are now kept in the museum cell of the parish church.

THE CHAPEL OF TROMEN
Built according to the wishes of the inhabitants of Écrivin, Moulin and the other hamlets of the area on the banks of the Grand-Valey, to invoke the protection of a territory subject to river flooding.
Dedicated by its founders to St. Michael and, after its extension in 1747, to Our Lady of the Snow, the chapel, which was known in the past as a “Shrine”, was very important for the residents and in its favour there were many “legatines” (in particular, donations for the celebration of the masses). Nonetheless, the temple did not have great revenue. In fact, according to a document dated 1866, to come by the funds necessary for essential restoration interventions, the treasurer of the church called the heirs of the ancient founders and reminded them of a commitment they had undertaken in 1747.
The large fresco covering the facade with scenes of the Universal Judgement is noteworthy. The small bell tower on the overhanging roof is also characteristic.

THE CHAPEL COMMEMORATING THE PARTISANS IN AMAY
Situated along the road that leads to Col de Joux, a short distance from the inhabited area of Amay,
it was built during the 1950’s according to the wishes of the commander Edoardo Page who had been the chief of the 17th Matteotti Brigate during the Second World War.
During the years of the Liberation, many young partisans from Saint-Vincent, who died in combat, had been buried on the much-loved mountain, near Amay. Once the war was over, the chapel was built near that cemetery. The works, which commenced in 1951, ended in 1962. The stones used were taken from the local stone quarries, while the cement was transported on the back of donkeys from the bottom of the valley.
With its cone section bell tower, the temple, which is solid and austere, has a gracious harmony in its forms. A plaque on the facade reads: “Ai caduti per la libertà, 9-9-1943 + 25-4-1945”. Access to the temple is via the portico, the interior, with a single nave, is very sober. The fresco by Lucio Bulgarelli is brimming with significance, “Libertà 1961”, it represents some human figures, a ball of fire and a rainbow, the symbol of peace.
In 1995, to mark the 50th anniversary of the resistance, the liberation and independence, a plaque was positioned in the park in front of the chapel to commemorate the arrest of Primo Levi, Vanda Maestro and Luciana Nissim, which occurred in Amay on the 13th of December 1943 and ended with the deportation of all three of them to Auschwitz. The same plaque features the poem by Primo Levi “Se questo è un uomo” (If this is a man).

LOCATION: built in the heart of the village, on land where an old, public press once stood.

HISTORY: completed in 1954, this family chapel dedicated to the Holy Innocents was built by the couple Thérèse and Vincent Gorris as a votive offering during World War II.

INTERESTING DETAILS: the facade was frescoed by the Valdostane painter Italo Mus. An appeal in French on the side to the north invites passers-by to reflect.
The secluded interior is completely covered in cobblestones taken from the Dora. There is large painting in the middle, a work by Italo Mus, depicting the Virgin Mary wrapped in a red cloak while crushing a snake. There are two altars worth noting (the original one has a sculpture of the Sacred Heart and an altar built according to liturgical reform directives, facing followers) and two stained glass windows depicting the patron saints of the Gorris couple, Vincenzo and Teresa.

HISTORY: the chapel located in the village of Feilley was erected by Philibert Clappey who, in a deed from 1645, undertook the provision of the funds necessary for its construction. The temple, built fifteen years after the plague of 1630, was dedicated to St. Rocco, who has always been asked to protect against illnesses and serious epidemics.

INTERESTING DETAILS: the devotion of the inhabitants of Feilley and their affection for the chapel have allowed for various maintenance work to take place over the years and has contributed to the creation of a real artistic treasure, with certain precious statues that are today held in the parish church museum.
Despite its small size, this chapel also has a choir loft. The choir and the nave each measure around four metres squared; the first is the oratory from 1645, while the more recent second one should date back to around 1747. There are various paintings on the walls, including the Carrying of the Cross with writing in French, English and Portuguese. The altar is covered in polychrome wooden floors, with a monstrance and two small angel heads; the upper part, between the two columns, hosts a beautiful canvas representing the coronation of the Virgin Mary, with the Father and Son, a dove representing the Holy Spirit and, to the sides, Saints Rocco and Sebastian.
Worth noting, Christ on the Cross hanging from between the choir and the nave, enriched with a large wooden rosary.

LOCATION: in the centre and almost at the heart of the Saint-Vincent hillside.

HISTORY: the construction of the sanctuary came from an idea around 1720 by the priest Pierre Bréan, who was vice parish priest in the village from 1705 to 1713 and greatly devoted to the Virgin Mary. In an agreement stipulated in 1725, the inhabitants of Grun and Valmignana committed to providing the land and the materials necessary, while Reverend Bréan committed to paying the works and furnishing the chapel. The temple was completed in 1727; participants at the inauguration festivities included the abbot Jean-Baptiste Perret, who in 1770 discovered the thermal water source.
The sanctuary quickly became a place of pilgrimage and votive offerings continued to increase, which were brought by followers who asked for gracious healing or conversion.

INTERESTING DETAILS: extended in 1864, this small church has a nave, a choir, a sacristy and a small choir loft. There are plenty of votive offerings on the walls, beside the Carrying of the Cross; the brick altar, lying between four columns, once hosted a large painting of Mary, however it was stolen in 1992. Today, a shelf hosts a statue of the Virgin Mary in walnut which was a gift from a devotee.
Outside, a retracted area forms a porch. Worth noting, the fresco by Mus depicting the Virgin Mary welcoming pilgrims with open arms.

TRADITIONS: there were once numerous processions from the village of Saint-Vincent to Grun sanctuary; we particularly recall one at the end of May and the “rain” procession appealing for rain and for it to stop.

LOCATION: on the western edge of the district, the chapel appears to be looking at Col de Joux.

HISTORY: desired by the inhabitants of Lenty in 1644. They decided to call it after the Visitation of the Virgin Mary and a sung mass and vespers were offered to give praise on her feast day, July 2nd.

INTERESTING DETAILS: the facade is rather particular: pastel pink, without inscriptions and ornaments, with an atrium with a semi-oval porch. There is a characteristic, little bell-tower on the projecting roof.
Inside, the choir and the nave, about four square meters each, are similar chambers even though they date from different eras. In fact, here as in other chapels, the choir was originally the oratory and was presumably extended during the second half of the eighteenth century.
Worth noting, the Baroque style altar with two twisted columns whose sides are covered with various angel heads. The hollow at the centre of the altar hosts a beautiful statue of the Crowned Virgin, in polychrome wood, which probably dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century. The Carrying of the Cross, composed of four prints from Paris, was donated in 1878 by a lady from Lenty.

Situated in the town of Moron, on the Saint-Vincent hillside.

Its current structure, with a large circular apse, dates back to the XV century, when important changes were made to a probable, pre-existing Romanesque building. For some time it conserved certain parish church prerogatives (festive functions and cemetery), even though it was never a parish church.

The apse vault has a beautiful series of ribbed stone. Recent restoration removed the modern structures and decor, in an attempt to restore the church to its original appearance.
In the past, on Easter Monday, the so-called “vineyard procession” took place, which in almost six hours passed through all the villages and chapels on the Saint-Vincent hillside.

Built by the Benedictines in the XI century in Romanesque style, the church was subject to multiple architectures one over the another, but also some significant modern restoration (1968 - 1972).

It is located on the structures of a Roman building, brought to light during recent restoration and which dates back to 300-400 A.D. It could have been a huge Patrician villa or a public building; it has a dual heating system using air blown under the floor, which was used to heat the “calidarium”.

Inside, there is a huge, clear contrast between the sobriety of the environment and the wealth of decorative paintings in the absidal area. The nave is divided into a succession of alternating columns in square, circular and polygonal shapes.

The church was originally without vaults (they date from 1696) and the current, large windows. The roof was held up by visible beams or the coffered ceiling and light used to pass discretely through the high, narrow, vaulted windows that are double recessed. The groin vaulted arch that overhangs the altar is fake, although rather old. The triumphant arch, probably in the XIII century, restricted the absidal area due to its framework and considerably reduced the area of the underneath crypt, a mystical with three small naves, each with three arches whose small, stone columns support capitals dating from the VIII century.

The oldest frescoes in the church are those in the north absidioles, by Iacopo Jacquerio (or his school), dated 1416. Also in the XV century Giacomino of Ivrea painted the triumphant arch with a cycle of doctors of the church, saints and prophets. Decorations were added over these paintings, which were dull and plastered, by Filippo da Varallo towards the end of the XVI century and are still visible today (partly, thanks to restorations in the Seventies), once covering the entire presbytery basin.

Christ on the Cross in the presbytery is a bronze work of art by Luciano Minguzzi.

With the new museum layout, the visitor is guided through a path to discover the symbolic places of local religiosity, such as the parish church and the numerous village chapels, from which the art objects on display come from, witnesses of faith and local popular devotion.
You can admire wooden sculptures and other works of art ranging from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century, such as the splendid goldsmiths.

HISTORY: dedicated to St. James the Great whose feast day is the 25th of July, this chapel dates back to the XVI century. Due to its position outside the village and water infiltration, it has always had serious staticity problems, which the inhabitants of Perrière have tried to resolve over time by providing proof of their faith and the love of their chapel. In 1706 its interior was endowed with 31 frescoed medallions, which are unfortunately no longer visible due to subsequent hands of paint.

INTERESTING DETAILS: the choir, which is older than the nave, is where the original oratory was and includes four frescoes depicting the Evangelists. The upper part of the altar, in a hollow with a small, glass door, hosts a statue of the Virgin Mary of the Miraculous Medal, dated 1850. Situated between the choir and the nave and completely painted in floral motifs, a beautiful Christ hangs from the main beam.

LOCATION: on a rocky peak a short distance from the Roman bridge.

HISTORY: originally an oratory erected by the noble Mistralis family. In 1609 François Mistralis extended the oratory and built a hexagonal shaped chapel.
The temple is dedicated to Our Lady of Carmelo, celebrated on the 16th of July; here, on that day, mass was sung and vespers recited. Furthermore, Pracourt Chapel was the destination of an age-old procession held the third Sunday after Easter.

INTERESTING DETAILS: towards the end of the XIX century Our Lady Help of Christians was painted on the facade. A small bell-tower hosts a bell with the inscription “N.D. Carmes - 1911 - Haec dono Carolo Delapierre”. The walnut door and the two windows present a very solid, stone frame. Inside, the altar is worth noting and, on it, a fresco representing the Virgin of Carmelo and the pleading souls of Purgatory at her feet. The walls depict the suffering of Christ and the Resurrection.

LOCATION: it is located in the heart of the old village of Salirod, on the Saint-Vincent hillside.

HISTORY: the foundation of the chapel, desired by the local population, dates back to 1774. Perhaps that year the oratory was also extended, which had probably been in the district since the end of the seventeenth century. The chapel was dedicated to St. Bartholomew, patron saint of Salirod, celebrated on the 24th of August.

INTERESTING DETAILS: the walnut door is enriched with geometric motif panels. The roof of the small, bell-tower hosts a small bell, with the writing “Jesus Marie S. Joseph O.P.N.[sc. “orate pro nobis”] 1779”. Inside, the choir vault is similar to the Moron church: the arches depart from eight different points and appear to form a cradle, meeting in a central circle. The altar, in gilded wood, is simple and linear and is covered by a wooden canopy with plaster and gold, the only one in the entire parish of Saint-Vincent. Some precious statues, which were once held in the chapel, are now preserved in the parish church museum.

LOCATION: built by the inhabitants of Écrivin, Moulin and other districts on the bank of the Grand-Valey to appeal for protection in an area subject to river flooding.

HISTORY: dedicated by its founders to St. Michael and after the extension of 1747, dedicated to Our Lady of the Snow, the chapel in the past called the “Sanctuary” was of huge importance to residents and various bequests linked to it (in particular, donations to celebrate masses). Yet, the temple was not a rich one. In fact, according to a document from 1866, the church treasury requested the funds necessary for immediate restoration work by calling upon the heirs to the ancient founders in 1747 and reminded them of the signed commitment.

INTERESTING DETAILS: worth noting, the large fresco that covers the facade with a scene from the Last Judgement. There is a characteristic, little bell-tower on the projecting roof.

Il “Coro Saint-Vincent”, chiamato in origine “Coro Monte Zerbion”, è nato nel 1965 per volontà di un gruppo di amici appassionati del canto di montagna.
Il repertorio di questo Coro maschile spazia dai canti valdostani alle canzoni savoiarde, trentine e venete, comprende brani del patrimonio polifonico sacro e profano e composizioni originali dei maestri che si sono avvicendati alla sua guida.
Dal 2004 il Coro è diretto dal Maestro Corrado Margutti.
Il Coro ha partecipato ad importanti manifestazioni nazionali ed internazionali (in Francia, Svizzera e negli USA).

La cantautrice Maura Susanna, considerata la voce più genuina dell’animo popolare valdostano, si è rivelata ancora dodicenne alla gara “Microfono libero” organizzata dai Padri Canossiani di Saint-Vincent. Nei primi anni ’70 partecipò con successo a diversi concorsi canori e nel ’73 una sua canzone fu inserita nel 33 giri compilation del “Cantagiugno Eporediese”.
Per qualche anno trascurò l’attività musicale per dedicarsi al teatro, in patois (ne “La veillà de Tsateilon”) e in italiano (nella compagnia “L’Arca” di Saint-Vincent).
Su invito di Luis de Jyaryot, tornò alla musica nel 1980 in occasione di un concerto di beneficenza per i terremotati della Campania. Nel 1982 fondò la cooperativa “Ambrokal” con Jyaryot, Bessolo, Bianchedi, Servodidio e i Trouveurs e nel 1983 pubblicò il 33 giri “Fables de nos jours”, dedicato alle canzoni di Maguì Bétemps, la prima cantautrice valdostana. In quel periodo cominciò ad esibirsi in Italia (Roma, Palermo, Bari, Foggia) e all’estero (Londra, Parigi, Tokyo).
Nel repertorio di Maura Susanna, accanto alle canzoni della cultura popolare valdostana, sono entrati brani popolari di tutto il mondo, cantati in francese, catalano, creolo, spagnolo e giapponese. L’intenzione è quella di cantare i sentimenti, gli stati d’animo di tutti gli uomini, utilizzando la musica, che è il linguaggio più universale.
Dal 1988 l’attività musicale di questa cantautrice di straordinario talento si è diradata per gli impegni legati alla gestione di un ristorante al Col de Joux. Il ’95 tuttavia è stato segnato da due eventi degni di nota: la pubblicazione del CD “Il viaggio” e l’incontro con Joan Baez.
Il successo dei concerti tenuti negli ultimi anni al cinema Giacosa per la “Saison Culturelle” o al “Palais Saint-Vincent”, nel settembre 99, testimonia il grande affetto che il pubblico valdostano nutre per Maura.
L’ultimo successo discografico dell’artista è stato l’album “Terra mia” del 2011.

The Museum aims to collect, classify and make known the minerals of the Aosta Valley and a number of crystals and semi-precious stones from around the world.
It currently has about 750 pieces on display, most of which come from the mountains near Saint-Vincent, in particular from Mount Barbeston, from Emarèse, from Brusson and Champorcher, all sites known to be rich in minerals.
The rarest and most beautiful pieces come from gold, iron and magnetite mines, now abandoned.
The museum also has a collection of about 170 fossils.