|
|
Saint-Nicolas
Saint-Nicolas: we are happy to let you know our roots
There are plenty of reasons to spend your holiday in Saint-Nicolas. The
village gave birth to Jean-Baptiste Cerlogne, a great poet dedicated
to the dialect of the Valley, to whom the village has devoted a
museum. The village hosts the center for studies René Willien,
founded to protect and spread the Patois, our French-Provençal
dialect.
Come and have a look at it even only to admire the ancient building dated
back to the 18th century. If you are fond of mountain sceneries, you won’t
be disappointed. Saint-Nicolas will charm you with breathtaking views, will
show you its cross-country tracks, will take you around to discover the
enchanting forest Bois de la Tour equipped with paths for blind people too. You will be
fortified by traditional plates and you will benefit from deep
sleeps under its starry sky.
Saint-Nicolas: the snow is shining under the starlight
The astonishing view from the belvedere covers the central valley
and the river Dora Baltea, the Gran Paradiso valleys and several
peaks: Ruitor, Grivola, Mont Emilius and Becca di Nona.
Saint-Nicolas is rich in resources so it is not worth spending days
on the grass observing the surrounding landscape because there is so
much more to do.
The village of Saint-Nicolas gave birth to one of the most important
poets in the Valley, Jean-Baptiste Cerlogne, the poet who made the
patois dialect a written language. In the sixties a museum was
created in his memory, open in summer only, that holds his written
works and the “ center d’Etudes Francoprovençales”, a center of
international importance specializing in ethnographical and
dialectical aspects of the Alps.
Near the Jean-Baptiste Cerlogne
museum there is the church dedicated to San Nicola, with its bell-tower
and the wood-painted tabernacle; the bell dates back to the 15th
century. In Lyveroulaz is located the Museum Gerbore where rural
machines of the fifties are shown, a rich collection demonstrating
the agricultural mechanization throughout the years.
|
|
Among the
chapels of Saint-Nicolas, it is worth a visit to the one dedicated to the Partisans
which is situated near the wood Bois de la Tour. It was erected in
memory of one of the bloodiest Resistance battles.
The cool forest
is equipped with a path for blind people and a ic-nic area. When
lingering around have a look at the calanques, an amazing
geomorphologic phenomenon originated by the glaciers. Higher up are
the hamlets Vens, Clavel and Persod with typical examples of
traditional architecture.
In winter, snow and peace are absolute.
Cross-country and mountaineering skiing first, traditional dishes
later on.
|
Museum and Exhibition |
| |
center d’Etudes Francoprovençales René Willien |
| |
Info: center
d’Etudes Francoprovençales René Willien tel. (+39) 0165
908882 |
| |
LLoc. Fossaz
Dessus, Saint-Nicolas – Library of Aosta Valley language and ethnography.
The center has its seat in a XVIII century building that
represents the typical traditional regional architecture. It
presents also the Concours Cerlogne archives with the
documents of the Aosta Valley dialect since 1963.
|
Calanchi |
|
Loc. Fossaz-Dessus - Saint-Nicolas |
|
In Saint-Nicolas the visitor will find incredible
natural beauties. For example, the alanchi,
morphologic phenomena originated by glacial
erosions. |
|
Chapel |
|
LLoc. La Cure - Saint-Nicolas |
|
The chapel of the partisans was built nearby the
parish church, at the beginning of the Bois de la
Tour to remember one of the ruellest struggles of
the Resistance. |
|
Parish church |
|
LLoc. La Cure - Saint-Nicolas |
|
The parish church of Saint-Nicolas rises on the
ruins of an older construction, of which still
remains the crypt (11th century). The beautiful bell
tower was built in the 15th century and readjusted
in the 17th. Very interesting are the bell of the
15th century and the wooden tabernacle of the 16th. |
|
Traditional architecture |
|
LLoc. Vens - Saint-Nicolas |
|
In the little village of ens, it is possible to see
the typical constructions completely restored. |
|
Viewpoint |
|
LLLoc. La Cure - Saint-Nicolas |
Going for a walk along the Bois de la Tour, on the
way to the church, you will find a natural,
panoramic terrace from which you will admire a
wonderful panorama.
Courtesy of the
AIAT Gran Paradis; more... >>> |
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
TangoItalia - Food Wine Travel in Italy - Home
|
|
