Saint Nicolas: Culture, Trails and Mountain Scenery

Saint Nicolas lies on a vast, sunny plateau at an altitude of 1,200 metres; the panorama stretches from Mont Emilius to Rutor. Alongside the landscape, Franco-Provençal language and culture, historic buildings and trails through the mountain scenery are central features. When planning your trip, you can consider whether views, culture or outdoor activities are most important to you.

Landscape and Village Character

The Saint-Nicolas geosite includes gullies known as calanchi, as well as earth pyramids. The Bois de la Tour woodland has an equipped picnic area. The village of Vens lies at an altitude of 1,734 metres; its features include restored buildings and old rural houses. The geological formations, woodland and rural buildings represent different aspects of the surrounding area.

Language and Cultural History

Jean-Baptiste Cerlogne was a poet who wrote in the Franco-Provençal dialect and produced numerous publications, including the “Dictionnaire du patois valdôtain”. The Centre d'études René Willien works to protect and promote patois, a Franco-Provençal dialect. It also has an extensive library that bears witness to Alpine culture. Cerlogne's publications and the Centre's work offer two distinct approaches to the language: literary work on the one hand, and the protection and promotion of the dialect on the other. If you would like to visit the Centre, check access arrangements in advance.

At the Chiesa parrocchiale di San Nicola, two dates should be distinguished: only the crypt beneath the presbytery probably dates from the 12th-century original church; the bell tower dates from the 15th century. The different dates refer to specific parts of the church and should be distinguished accordingly.

The Museo Gerbore is located in Lyveroulaz, in the historic Maison de la Tôr building. It houses around fifty agricultural machines from the 1950s. The building and collection provide two specific points of reference for understanding the museum: its historic location and the period to which the machines date.

Cross-Country Skiing and Hiking

The cross-country ski trails near the main village of Saint Nicolas run through forests and sunny fields. Three kilometres of the trails are also lit at night. If you are planning to go cross-country skiing, check seasonal operating details before your trip. The Lac du Joux–Pointe Aouillette hike offers a different sequence of landscape sections: it follows trail no. 29 along the lakeshore and leads into a coniferous forest.

The hike also crosses the alpine pastures on the south side of Pointe Aouillette and reaches the summit along the watershed ridge between the central valley and the Vallon de Vertosan. The lakeshore, coniferous forest and alpine meadows are the explicitly described sections of this route; the summit lies between two named areas. This lets you compare the landscapes along the hike with the forests and sunny fields of the cross-country ski trails.

Tradition and Getting There

During the Dezarpe de Vertosan, herds are brought down from the high-altitude pastures in late summer. The areas named include the Vallon de Vertosan in Avise, Vétan in Saint-Pierre and the area around Saint Nicolas. The tradition thus connects several named starting areas, which should be distinguished when describing the event.

Saint Nicolas can be reached from Aosta by the “Villeneuve - Saint-Pierre - Saint-Nicolas - Aosta” bus route. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable with the operator in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vens, Torgnon, Jovencan, Brusson, Morgex, Villeneuve, Gratillon, La Thuile

Back to the regional travel overview: Aosta Valley.