Nature: Aosta, Saint-Pierre, Sarre

This particularly interesting area from a geomorphological and archaeological point of view, the hillock with steep slopes and a flat peak is located to the North-East of Aosta and it is also known locally as “Quota B.P.” (from Baden-Powell, scout founder).

A late Neolithic settlement, dating back to 3000 B.C. was situated at the top of the hill.

The nature reserve extends across 14 hectares at an altitude between 720 - 796 meters and offers typical sceneries of low mountain slopes with southern exposure.
The area is an excellent point for birdwatching during the migratory periods, especially for some birds of prey and corvidae. The reserve is also home to some mammals, reptiles and various invertebrate species.

The area’s climate promotes typically xerophile plant species mainly downy oaks and plants of steppe origin.
This conditions make the reserve’s visit possible all year round, with preference for spring and autumn.

How to get there
From the exit Aosta Est of the A5 motorway, take the national road 26 towards the town. At the second roundabout turn right towards Porossan and go on until the Serod hamlet. Continue following the signs to Saint-Christophe until reaching the little parking at the reserve’s entry.

In a very urbanised environment, the traces of a Roman bridge dating back 2000 years are the only precious visible testimony of the ancient bed of the Buthier river. The river, an important tributary of the Dora Baltea, to which it lent its name, now flows near the Arch of Augustus, but up until the 11th century it flowed with a single bed under the Stone Bridge. The city of Aosta develops on the distal section of the large fan of the Buthier river in convergence with the Dora Baltea. From the Roman presence up until the late Middle Ages, the river flowed, with a single bed, under the “Ponte di Pietra”. On an unknown date, which is thought to be prior to the year 1000, following a serious flood, a diversion of the river caused the subdivision of the riverbed into two branches. Documents from the 11th-13th centuries certify the existence of two separate rivers, each of which had a bridge: “lapideus” the Roman one and “ligneus” the more recent one, situated around one hundred metres further west, near the Arch of Augustus.
In a print dated 1682, showing the city of Aosta, we can see that the canal with the largest capacity flowed under the wooden bridge (which has now been replaced by a modern bridge), while under Ponte di Pietra there was only a modest stream. Around 1850, the historian Aubert discovered that the section of riverbed under the Roman bridge was three quarters full of flood debris. Water definitively ceased flowing under the bridge around the first decades of the 20th century. The Roman Bridge, which ceased its function as a link, remains as a testimony of the extraordinary engineering art of the Romans and an evolutionary moment in the route of the Buthier river. The ancient riverbed, near the bridge, was transformed into a green area to be used as a public garden, where there are stones and round and smooth masses, which perhaps once belonged to the old river. The span of the bridge is partially obstructed by a wall that supports a brick terrace. Behind the bridge, the area is completely built-up and there are no recognisable traces of the historical branch of the Buthier river.

How to get there:

You can reach Aosta city either through the S.S. 26 or via the motorway. Arriving from Turin, once you have surpassed the commercial area, follow the signposts for the city centre. Having passed the state road through an underpass, you will reach Corso Ivrea directly. It is possible to park in Via Monte Emilius.

TECHNICAL NOTES
Altitude: 500 m above sea level
Overall duration of the tour: 20 minutes.
Recommended period: All year round

Itinerary:

The geological site is located in Aosta city, coming from the centre of Aosta, go in the direction of the Arch of Augustus and as far as corso Ivrea, the street immediately below the Arch, the bridge and the old riverbed are 100 metres after the first traffic light on the left.

The patois name refers to the small woods near the hamlet of Entrebin, 971 metres above sea level and only 6 Km from Aosta. The southern entrance of the park is on the municipal road to Arpuilles< the north entrance is on the private road to Excenex.
Near the two entrances are shelters showing the map of the site, indicating the trails, refreshment areas (with wooden benches) and rules for using the site.
Many varieties of local and exotic trees can be found in this wooded area: red spruce, larches, scotch pines, black pine, Douglas fir, cedar, cherry, ash, elm, mountain maple, linden, oak, walnut, birch, poplar, chestnut, common elderberry, wild pear and apple etc.
There is also a charming chapel in the area.

The terrace on which what is now the village of Touraz (Sarre) stands, a splendid balcony over Valle d’Aosta, is a very pleasant and peaceful site, in sharp contrast with the enormous gash on the mountain to the west: Becca France (2,312 metres). The name “Becca France” implies a two-fold interpretation: according to some authors, the name of this mountain is said to derive from the fact that, from its summit it is possible to see the French mountains (in reality this is unlikely, given its modest altitude), it is more likely that the term “france” is a mistaken translation from the patois of the word “frantze” (frank, sincere, solid).
The landslide event of Becca France, above Sarre, constitutes the largest natural disaster known to have struck Valle d’Aosta. The landslide occurred on the 6th of July 1564 at 6 in the morning, causing the destruction of the ancient village of Thora, which stood in the incision of the Clusellaz river on a plateau on the orographical left hand side of the slope, opposite that from which the landslide originated, in the area of Goille Pesse.
Reports suggest that approximately 500 people lost their lives during this tragedy.
Today it is still possible to observe the imposing detachment niche of the landslide, which occupies the entire western slope of Becca France and the accumulation area, which is now covered by spruce and larch forests.

How to get there:

Along state road 26 (Aosta-Courmayeur), take the turn-off for Sarre. Proceed along a winding road which leads to Ville sur Sarre in approximately twenty minutes, then follow the signposts for Thouraz, which you will reach in approximately ten minutes, until the end of the carriageable road and from where it is possible to have a good frontal view over the detachment niche of the landslide.

TECHNICAL NOTES
Altitude: 1,652 m
Overall duration of the tour: 1 hr
Recommended period: spring, summer, autumn.

Having reached the hamlet of Thouraz, we recommend that you cross the small residential area, which currently houses a lovely ranch and proceed for around one hundred metres in a westerly direction, where it is possible to observe the landslide in its entirety. (1)
Getting back onto the paved road, it is possible to proceed towards the little church of the village and park near the junction with the dirt road, from here it is sufficient to proceed on foot for approximately 20 minutes, until you reach the hamlet called Bois de Goille Pesse. (2)
Here an enormous mass bears an inscription that recalls the destruction of the suburb of Thoura which, on the basis of the reconstruction of the event, is said to have stood near this forest. Before leaving Becca France and its fascinating history, we recommend that you go up as far as the village church, which is situated on a natural balcony, it offers a splendid view over the central valley. The detachment niche of Becca France is easily distinguishable from the main valley floor near the residential areas of Gressan and Jovençan.