Châtel-Argent

Above the village of Villeneuve, a massive round tower stands on a rocky terrace. This is Châtel-Argent. The fortress guarded a narrow passage along the Dora Baltea, on the road to the Little St Bernard Pass. The ruins cover a large area, and the view over the valley is superb.

A name that comes from coins

The site has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The castle appears in a document of 1176 under the name Castrum Argenteum. The name is said to come from the workshop where coins were minted in the Middle Ages. Unlike many castles in the Aosta Valley, Châtel-Argent was never entrusted to a noble family. It always remained in the hands of the counts, and later the dukes, of Savoy.

The Savoys’ masterpiece tower

The present fortress dates mainly from around 1275. It was rebuilt for the Count of Savoy by specialists from his court, among them James of St George. This architect went on to build castles in Wales for the English king Edward I. The round tower, about 16 metres high, has walls nearly two metres thick. Around it, the curtain wall enclosed living quarters, a vaulted cistern and a chapel. Everything here was designed for war, even if the count sometimes broke his journey here.

An older chapel

The oldest part of the site is the little chapel of Sainte-Colombe. It was built around 1050–1070, long before the tower. Its apse is decorated with niches and small arches typical of Romanesque art. Further down stands the old church of Sainte-Marie.

How to see it

Châtel-Argent
11018 Villeneuve (AO)
Fondation Grand Paradis: +39 0165 75 301 · grand-paradis.it

The ruins are freely accessible. From the bridge over the Dora in the centre of Villeneuve, a narrow road and then a flight of steps cut into the rock climb up to the castle: about fifteen minutes on foot. Once there, you can walk round the walls and the tower, and see the chapel of Sainte-Colombe.