Heritage: Doues

Located in the village of La Crétaz, just before the centre of the village, it was once the residence of the lords of La Crête.
The most interesting part is the circular tower, which is clearly visible from the internal courtyard of the ancient building.

The parish of Doues existed as early as 1176, as a result of a Papal Bull by Alexander III. It was firstly joined with that of Allein and it is not known when they separated. The first church in Doues, dedicated to St. Peter, is located in the village of La Cerise. Then, perhaps between 1300 and 1400, the church moved to the town centre, probably because a landslide was threatening the building. Besides St.Peter, St. Biagio was added as a patron saint, up to 1550. The current church was built in 1790 and was dedicated to the latter saint. The church includes a pre-existing chapel which was built by the Lords of La Crête, where one can find their tomb.

There are another five chapels in the town. The oldest is that of Châtelair, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, which dates back to the XV century; it was rebuilt in 1806 at an altitude of 1,430 metres on hilltop that dominates the entire town.

The Alpine Soldiers group of Doues together with the municipality and the Aosta Valley Regional Council, wanted to set up a permanent exhibition on the Alpine Soldiers, and beyond.

A treasure chest of memories with the goal, over the time, to become a learning place for new generations so that they remember their own history and do not forget the past.
the Alpine Soldiers have always been loved by the population and represent a cornerstone for our Nation and especially for mountain people.

The history of the Alpine army will be illustrated in this exhibition gathering documents, period photographs, Alpine hats (with specimens starting from the origin of the Alpine corps) and uniforms dating back to the Great War and the Second World War.
We will also find many objects that accompanied our soldiers in their efforts and testify to the difficulties they suffered during conflicts and their daily life.

A journey through history:
Solidarity
Volunteering
Loyalty to the mountains