Heritage: Jovençan

A few rests remain of the 13th-century Jovençan Castle, razed to the ground by the Count of Savoy in the 15th century, to punish the lords of Jovençan
The castle is today in ruins.

La Maison des Anciens Remèdes has been set up in an old rural house built in the late 17th Century and used as a hay barn in the parish of Jovençan until the early 1950s. This building represents a place where nature meets popular culture made up of savoir-faire, legends, recipes and homemade remedies.
La Maison proposes a journey through the world of medicinal plants where the curative traditions of our ancestors overlap with modern scientific knowledge.

The plants
Each plant is unique and has a fascinating structure to discover. Thirty-eight main plants are described in the house, from the most common to the rarest, the most mysterious and those most popular in local culture. An itinerary allows visitors to learn and understand about these plants, and how the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits are used.

The remedies
The plants can also be useful, in many ways. By watching videos revealing some popular traditional remedies, you can discover how at one time in basic peasant pharmacy women took on the role of the main custodians of the knowledge of plants and their virtues, as well as the preparation methods, doses and duration of various treatments.

La Bouteucca de l’Apotéquéro
In the Apothecary’s Workshop guests can explore the drawers where the plants are conserved, by looking, feeling and discovering their properties as well as their toxic effects. The _pots_illustrate the traditional uses, while the_showcases_on the walls reveal the curious features and secrets of the plants. You can also leaf through the great book to learn more about the remedies used by the inhabitants of these mountains.

Plants and the land
A place where you can discover the land and flora of the Aosta Valley, the smallest Italian region but offering a large natural assortment of smells and colours: historical herbaria, botanical gardens, nature reserves, educational vegetable gardens and one of the richest and most complex natural heritages in Italy and the Alps.

Discover with your senses
Head along The Scent Path, a sensory journey where you can learn to recognise the medicinal plants from their scent, choosing between twelve essential oils at your disposal, all natural and extremely pure. Then continue your discovery with the large living herbarium, placing your hands on the table to watch as earth, roots and flowers come to life and describe their intimate nature, colours, sounds and stories.

Learn while having fun
A dedicated space for children with traditional hobbies such as the Game of the goose, medicinal Sudoku, the Bouteucca de l’Apotéquéro Dominoes and interactive game areas to learn new things through play. Moreover, the young visitors can dress up as two plants, take part in an educational workshop and finally, compare their experiences of the microcosm of medicinal plants with their fellow travellers.
Each area of this Maison is a space that is constantly changing; just like in a field, so you can be certain of finding something different here next time!