Nature: La Salle, ** Valle d'Aosta **

The Mont Avic Park, first natural park in the Aosta Valley, preserves since 1989 the natural resources of the upper Chalamy stream valley in the municipality of Champdepraz and, since 2003 the Dondena valley, in the territory of Champorcher.

The protected area is characterised by extremely captivating landscapes and environments only marginally affected by human activities.
Crossing the paths that meander through the protected area gives visitors the chance to come into contact with particularly interesting and various natural aspects: rugged and characteristic geological formations, floral alpine endimisms and peculiar plant associations tied to the green rock substratum. The largest mountain pine forest (pinus uncinata) in the region with a couple dozen ponds, marshes and peat bog, it is unrivalled in number and in extension in the Aosta Valley. All the most widespread alpine animals in the region are represented.

You can hike along the park paths all year round. Most of the paths are snow-covered from November to May and only advisable for experts with appropriate equipment. Some paths can be ridden on horseback or on mountain bike.

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Col de Joux (1640m) is a woody pass linking Saint-Vincent with Brusson, and is thus a beautiful alternative route to the road that goes up from Verrès, to reach Val d’Ayas.
It runs past charming hamlets and goes through beautiful woods, providing wonderful views of the central valley and Val d’Ayas.
The word “Joux” has pre-Latin origins and means woody highland, however, can also be traced to the Latin Jugum, yoke, and hence hill.
Col de Joux also hosts the final Ayas section of Ru Courtod, an irrigated canal coming from the Ventina glacier and dating back to the 14th century.
Several trails of varying difficulty start here, for example those leading to Testa Comagna or Col Tzecore, but you can also go for a pleasant walk along the private road towards Sommarèse, or towards Pallu, with its artificial lake.

An interesting habitat, a resting place for migratory birds after high altitude journeys

The site, consisting of a short stretch of the Dora Baltea river and its alluvial plain, is located at a height of 890 meters between the villages of La Salle and Morgex and has a typical vegetation of water-rich environments. On the left bank of the river lies a path of approximately 250 m in brushed concrete, as well as a 220 m walkway in the forest on a catwalk in chestnut.

Flora: the banks of the dam are thick with reeds, while at some distance from the water arise alders, willows, poplars. Among the flowers, you can find the yellow buttercup.

Fauna: this area is a stop over for migratory birds linked to wet environments; mallards, moorhens and marsh warblers nest here.

Visit: The best period to visit the Reserve is during the migratory seasons of spring and autumn, not only for the sighting of the ornithological fauna but also for the luxuriance of its woods’ undergrowth.
The visit can start on the left bank, entering from the S.S. 26 state road. Here, a sign with the site plan supplies varied information to welcome the visitor. The shore can be reached in few minutes and from the equipped shed, it is possible to observe the fauna halting over the flooding waters. A well-marked pedestrian path directs the visitor towards an elevated footbridge which crosses the hygrophilous forest until it reaches a small islet at the site’s exit, rich in plant species in full activity. The same path is used for the return.

Scientific and naturalistic research centre
Operational headquarters of the “Regional Museum of Natural Sciences Efisio Noussan” of Saint-Pierre, the centre of scientific and naturalistic research is in the immediate vicinity of the natural reserve of the Marais. The Centre is responsible for the management and maintenance of the collections and the library, the activity of scientific research and teaching.
In the museum labs research projects in various areas are developed and promoted, from the study and conservation of the natural and agricultural biodiversity, enhancement of museum collections, as well as educational and training projects.
The library has over 6000 books, from naturalistic texts to scientific and information journals published by universities, scientific and environmental associations, Italian and foreign museums, obtained primarily in exchange with the “Revue Valdôtaine d’Histoire Naturelle”, published by the Société de la Flore Valdôtaine.

Located on the right slope of Valdigne, Lenterney waterfall is particularly striking, being fed by a basin of perennial glaciers from the Paramont group, and tumbles through the Derby forest.

The waterfall is visible along the state road connecting Derby to La Salle.