Chez Pierina

Chamois is the only village in Italy you cannot reach by car: you go up by cable car from Buisson. Up there, in the hamlet of Corgnolaz, Chez Pierina has been serving Aosta Valley cooking since 1975. For a lovely walk, you can also drive up to La Magdeleine, leave the car there and reach Chamois on a very pleasant path, easy enough for everyone, families and children included. Your reward is the meal waiting for you at Chez Pierina. Be sure to book: without a reservation you may not get a table.

A family story

It all began in 1963, when grandfather Roberto started building an inn. Grandmother Pierina finished it, then opened the restaurant in 1975. Her home cooking soon made a name for itself, and her daughters Danila and Eugenia made it known far beyond the valley. Today Eugenia and Pierina’s granddaughters, Sara and Marta, run the house. The dining room was renovated in spring 2019, in a more modern style that keeps the spirit of tradition.

On the plate

The menu follows Aosta Valley cuisine. The polenta is still cooked on the wood stove, to Pierina’s recipe. I tried the crespelle alla valdostana, baked in their dish, with ham and nicely melted fontina.