Discover Oulx: Culture, Local History and Nature

If you’re looking for a hotel in Oulx, you can plan your trip around the interests that await you there: art and architectural history in the historic town centre, the annual Fiera Franca, or nature and trout fishing. There are also road and rail connections for getting there. Which ones are right for you depends on your travel plans.

Art and Local History

Oulx’s historic town centre is home to an open-air museum featuring a significant collection of works associated with Piedmont’s figurative art tradition. The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta offers a different focus: it stands on a hill on the edge of Borgo Vecchio. Inside the church is a monumental, three-part high altarpiece made of painted and gilded wood. Jacques Jesse of Embrun created it between 1670 and 1676. The works in the open-air museum and the altarpiece thus represent different forms of Oulx’s artistic and cultural heritage.

The fountains can also be distinguished by their design and dates. In Piazza Garambois in Borgo Inferiore stands a fountain dating from 1531. Its basin is square, and its column has four spouts. By contrast, the fountain on Via Des Ambrois is set beneath a tall portico. It has five spouts and a square basin bearing the date 1504, the oldest verifiable date for a fountain in the upper valley.

Opened in 2011, the Des Ambrois trail has ten stops and passes places that shaped the life of Minister Des Ambrois. He is considered Oulx’s most famous citizen. Another building with its own historical context is the Torre Delfinale, built between 1350 and 1370. Its original purpose was probably more residential than military. The communal oven, restored in 2001, is still used for various festivities, including the Feast of Saint Sebastian, patron saint of the Viérë, on 20 January. Jardin d’la Tour is now a public park.

Fiera Franca and Regional Traditions

The Fiera Franca dates back to 1494 and is held in Oulx every year during the last days of summer, starting on 15 September. It brings together communities from the Dauphiné, the Dora Valley, the Pragelatese and the Briançonnais. At the stalls, you can sample and buy regional products from the valleys. If you’d like to plan your stay around the Fiera Franca, check the specific event dates in advance.

The fair combines a historical occasion with a present-day market: its long tradition dates back to 1494, while its stalls offer regional products to sample and buy. This is a different focus from visiting the town centre’s architectural and artistic landmarks. When planning your travel dates, it’s therefore important to consider whether the event itself is what matters most to you.

Nature and Leisure

The Stagno di Oulx Nature Reserve is also a Natura 2000 site, designated IT1110022. Trout fishing is possible at Lago Verde, and equipment can be rented. Oulx offers different ways to enjoy nature: the protected area on the one hand, and a specific leisure activity at the lake on the other. If fishing is of particular interest to you, you can include this option in your travel plans.

Getting There and Choosing When to Visit

By car, you can reach Oulx via the A32 Torino–Fréjus motorway, taking the Oulx exit, or via the SS 24 del Monginevro state road. Oulx railway station is an international stop on the Torino–Bardonecchia line; TGV trains to France also stop there. Check current train services and road conditions before setting off.

When looking for a hotel in Oulx, it helps to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay: local history and art, the Fiera Franca, or nature and trout fishing. If the fair is important to your trip, factor its annual period starting on 15 September into your plans and check the specific event dates. This way, you can choose your destination and travel dates based on what is actually bringing you to Oulx.

Discover more destinations: Robassomero, Plan, Vacci, San Francesco Al Campo, Cavallo, Scarmagno, Rondissone, Borgone Susa

For the main travel guide: Turin.