Graines Castle

Graines Castle stands on a rocky promontory, at an altitude of about 1,375 metres, above the Ayas valley. All that remains is a tower, a curtain wall and a small chapel. But the site, isolated among meadows and larches, has great character.

A fief given to an abbey

The story of Graines begins far from the valley. According to tradition, in 515 the Burgundian king Sigismund gave this fief to the abbey of Saint-Maurice d’Agaune, in the Valais. In 1263, the monks entrusted it to Godefroi de Challant. The family kept Graines until the end of the 18th century, while remaining vassals of the abbey. In the 15th century, the castle was strengthened. It then served as a refuge for Catherine de Challant and her husband Pierre d’Introd, during the quarrels over the family inheritance.

A ‘primitive’ castle

Graines is a good example of a primitive Aosta Valley castle. A curtain wall measuring about 80 by 50 metres follows the edge of the rock. Inside, a square tower served as a last refuge. Its door opens five metres above the ground. It was reached by a ladder that was then pulled up. Next to it, the Romanesque chapel of Saint-Martin has a single nave and a rounded apse. Its façade carries a small bellcote.

Excavated and restored

The castle was first consolidated around 1900, under the direction of Alfredo d’Andrade. Between 2010 and 2014, a European programme funded further works and excavations. Finds included fragments of soapstone pots, crossbow bolt heads and prehistoric pottery. So the site was inhabited long before the Middle Ages. Information panels now explain the visit.

How to see it

Château de Graines
Località Graines
11022 Brusson (AO)
Municipality of Brusson: +39 0125 300 132 · comune.brusson.ao.it

From Verrès, drive up the Ayas valley and take the narrow tarmac road to Graines. A mule track leads to the castle in a few minutes’ walk. You can enter the walls and the chapel freely, but the tower is often closed for safety reasons. The site has sometimes closed for works: if in doubt, check with the municipality.