Discover Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Explore Gressoney-Saint-Jean through its historic buildings, alpine gardens, and paths in the surrounding area. Queen Margherita, the heritage of the parish church, and seasonal activities at Lago Gover each offer a different focus. If you’re looking for hotels in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, these themes can help you decide what you’d like to explore during your stay.

Castel Savoia and its garden

Castel Savoia was built between 1899 and 1904 at the request of Queen Margherita di Savoia. She stayed there during the summer months until 1925. The construction period and her stays give the castle a clear historical connection to the area. From the car park below, reach the castle with an approximately 15-minute walk through the park. Check the latest access information before your visit.

The castle includes an alpine botanical garden made up of a series of rock gardens. Alpine plants from the region and other parts of the world grow there. The garden complements the historical focus with a botanical one: regional plants share the same garden setting with species from elsewhere in the world. At the castle, the history of the building is thus combined with the diversity of alpine planting.

Church and historic houses

The parish church of San Giovanni Battista was built in 1515 and expanded in 1753. Its parish museum displays a 13th-century crucifix, considered one of the oldest in the Aosta Valley. The building and the exhibit provide different points of reference in time: the church tells the story of its own construction and expansion, while the crucifix is older still.

Houses in the hamlets also preserve specific traces of earlier times. The oldest house in the flatland of Gressoney-Saint-Jean stands in Greschmatto. It bears the date 1547 and was formerly used as a courthouse and prison.

Dresal is a group of houses made of stone and wood. The oldest building there bears the date 1587. Along with the dates of the church and the house in Greschmatto, this date offers a straightforward comparison: 1547 predates 1587, while the church was built as early as 1515. The places also differ in what each brings to the fore—the history of a house, a group of buildings, or the parish church and its museum.

Trails and waterfalls

If you’re looking for a circular route, there are two options described in different ways. The Anello Regina Margherita is an easy tourist loop connecting places loved and visited by Queen Margherita di Savoia. The equally easy Walser Réng is an 8-kilometre circular trail where you can explore the landscape and cultural heritage of Gressoney-Saint-Jean and its surroundings. The Anello focuses on its connection to Margherita; the Walser Réng is described in terms of landscape and cultural heritage.

The two waterfalls can also be distinguished by their respective starting points. Cascata Borgofier is on the Lys promenade, near signpost 14 in the direction of Gressoney-La-Trinité. From the main village of Gressoney-Saint-Jean, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach it on the right-hand side. Cascata di Underwald can be reached directly from the hamlet of Gresmatten in less than 10 minutes. The approximate times therefore refer to different destinations and starting points.

Lago Gover through the seasons

Centuries-old pines and firs surround Lago Gover, where you can enjoy a view of the Monte Rosa range. The activities mentioned there also vary by season: sport fishing is possible during the summer months, while in winter the lake is transformed into a natural ice rink for skating. If you’d like to plan your visit around one of these activities, check the latest operating conditions beforehand. This lets you choose between summer sport fishing and winter skating according to the season.

Discover more destinations: Cogne, Verrand, Rhemes-Saint-Georges, Roisan, Bard, Valtournenche, Donnas, Saint Pierre

For the regional travel overview: Aosta Valley.