Saint-Pierre Castle
A fairy-tale castle on its rock, now a natural science museum
On the road that climbs from Aosta towards Courmayeur, a castle with pointed turrets stands on a rock above the village of Saint-Pierre. You notice it straight away as you drive past. Just below, the village’s white church completes the picture.
A 12th-century fort turned castle
The first records of the castle date from the late 12th century. At that time it was only a small fortification: an enclosing wall and two towers. Over the centuries it changed hands several times. In the 17th century, the Roncas family bought it and turned it into a large fortified residence.
The 19th-century remodelling by Bollati
After a period of neglect, Baron Emanuele Bollati bought the castle in the 1870s. He had it remodelled in the Gothic Revival style, very fashionable at the time. The turrets and the romantic look of the whole building come from this work.
The medieval parts have not disappeared, however. You can make out the old stone walls and the mullioned windows, that is, windows divided by stone uprights. On a single rock, the building thus shows several periods of construction.
Minerals, fossils and animals: the Noussan museum
The castle houses the Efisio Noussan Regional Museum of Natural Sciences, named after its founder, a nature enthusiast. After a long restoration, it reopened in November 2022. The route takes up sixteen rooms on three levels. It covers rocks and minerals, the wildlife and plants of the Aosta Valley, and alpine habitats. Interactive screens and projections bring the visit to life, and children enjoy it.
A view over the valley from the rock
From the top of the rock, the eye travels up to the head of the valley and the mountains around it. Below, in the plain, you can pick out the village’s other castle, Sarriod de la Tour.
Visiting
Efisio Noussan Regional Museum of Natural Sciences – Saint-Pierre Castle
Località Tâche, 5
11010 Saint-Pierre (AO)
+39 0165 95931 · museoscienze.vda.it
Open Tuesday to Sunday, with opening hours that vary according to the season. Admission is limited to 25 people per half-hour, so it is best to buy your ticket online.
Maps: personal work by Marc Badjou.
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