Rhêmes-Saint-Georges before being an alpine village is a human landscape, in full balance with the wild and disruptive nature of the great mountains. That of Rhêmes-Saint-Georges is a dimension suspended between the beginning and the end of the valley, between the sharp peaks of the Gran Paradiso and the soft valley floor, between the winds that roll over the glaciers and the crystalline water of streams and springs. We are located in the heart of the Gran Paradiso National Park. At high altitude chamois and ibexes dance where any human being would appear clumsy and clumsy while the bearded vulture watches and scrutinizes what 10 Park Guards and as many binoculars could not see. Rhêmes-Saint-Georges is a rural community of USA divided into 14 small villages that live and breathe pure air between 1200 and 1600 meters high. This is a special valley inhabited since the Bronze Age, as evidenced by the discovery of a spearhead near the village of Cachoz in 1972. On the orographic right of the valley there are villages in a particularly sunny position while the orographic left is characterized by slopes steep and wild, the houses, even the oldest, are never found in the middle of beautiful lawns for two important reasons: to avoid being in the range of dangerous avalanches and to leave room for the cultivation of forage.
This valley is an authentic and precious reality inspired by the ancient tradition of rye cultivation, the basis of a rural subsistence economy. Four mills and seven ovens are the testimony of a community dedicated to cereals and bread production. In Rhêmes-Saint-Georges, fallow was already practiced in ancient times, that is to say the seasonal rest of the land with rotation alternating the cultivation between cereals and potatoes. June was dedicated to plowing the fields with the Piatton, a wooden harrow, while in September the sowing took place by scattering the seeds by hand. Wheat or rye were then beaten with the fléyì, an instrument consisting of two sticks hinged on a leather membrane. The rhythm of the multi-handed beating has been for centuries the music that echoed in the valley. In autumn, grinding was carried out in the mills. Rye flour mixed with wheat flour was the basis for preparing the Pan Ner dough, the true wealth and symbol of this valley. History tells us that at the beginning of the twentieth century in the Aosta Valley there were 8,000 hectares devoted to cereals. In 1966 the cultivated area decreased to 1800 hectares to reach 24 hectares in 2000 and 6 hectares in 2010. The aim of the project will be to enhance the local rye ecotype supply chain and recover and enhance the architectural and historical cultural heritage of the seven ovens of Le Coveyrand, Voix, Frassiney, Proussaz, Le Créton and Melignon, including the Vieux oven. built in the 70s; and the four mills of La Fabrique, Voix, Frassiney and Proussaz. Today, in the name of an important biodiversity, 12 Valle d'Aosta rye biotypes have been recovered.
Mills and ovens make up the memory of the Rhêmes-Saint-Georges community. The energy of the ru, the derivation channels that captured the water of the Dora di Rhêmes, set the mills in motion, small and simple houses manned night and day during the milling period. The ovens are the symbol of humanity in this place closely linked to the production and sharing of bread. Today the preparation has a ritual value and the oven is used for some events to enhance food culture such as Lo Pan Ner, in October and for La Couetta di Pan Ner, a local event for the enhancement of rye, in August. . The baked goods, besides the Pan Ner, were the Flantze, an energetic variant of the Pan Ner prepared with figs, raisins, dried fruit, sugar and nut oil. La Couronne, a sweet donut prepared with the Pan Ner dough with the addition of apples, cinnamon and sugar. Finally Lo Pou, nice cockerels made with Pan Ner dough, molded and given to children.
The mid-mountain environment is characterized by ideal conditions for breeding dairy cows. In the small mountain farm Estrela di Berger, the Pezzata Rossa and the Castana are bred, which daily produce a very high quality milk which is then transformed in the family dairy into fresh and aged cheeses, semi-hard and hard cheeses, and then an extraordinary yogurt.
Three itineraries proposed to discover ovens and mills: the Petit Tour (A), the Moyen Tour (B) and the Grand Tour (C); within everyone's reach and ideal for getting in touch with places and people in the villages.
The park of secrets where, through traditional and interactive games, children, adults and entire families will have fun discovering stories and secrets about the animals of the Gran Paradiso National Park, about the food culture of the Alps and will try to learn patois, the local dialect.
According to tradition, the original church of Saint-Georges existed in the hamlet of Voix and was called ecclesia et parochia de Voce. Destroyed by a flood in the thirteenth century, it was rebuilt in the place where it is now. The lower part of the bell tower remains of the original building, which bears traces of Romanesque style up to the bell cell excluded, and the foundations of the church. The main altar is very beautiful, baroque, carved, painted and partly gilded. The altar was consecrated by Monsignor Millet d'Arvillars in 1706. In the presbytery, in a side chapel, there is the parish museum, which collects various statues and cult objects from the various chapels, including some interesting 15th century objects: a silver reliquary, a brass processional cross, the statues of Saint Margaret and Saint Anthony the Abbot.
Great views from the Col du Mont Blanc and Mont Paillasse. This is a daily trek that does not involve any technical difficulty: 13.4 km and 1203 m in altitude, duration 3h and 45 min one way. The excursion starts from Rhêmes-Saint-Georges, near the Municipality, near a wooden cross with signpost No. 4. The path that climbs crosses the dirt road to Verrogne and continues in the woods to the ruins of the Traversa (1620 m). Continue on a dirt road and, after crossing two streams, take the path on the right that reaches the houses of Champromenty (1813 m). Continue on the dirt road (n ° 4) up to Col du Mont Blanc (the most spectacular viewpoint is located near the Park hut) and then on the path towards Mont Paillasse. From here there are two possibilities: 1) Go back along the same road; 2) Descend towards Valsavarenche following the signs for Arpilles, where the E. Dayné house-refuge is located, and then continue to Buillet, a hamlet of Introd from where you can return to Rhêmes-Saint-Georges by bus (check the timetables first to depart.
Center for the promotion and sale of typical local products; located in the Espace Loisirs La Palud area, it houses a market of agri-food products, bar service, excellent pizzas.
Bar-restaurant with typical local cuisine: pancake timbale, venison steak, monkfish with fake caviar.
Bar and hot dishes.
Couetta by Pan Ner Second weekend of August - Festival focused on the preparation and cooking of traditional black bread made with native rye; guided tours with tastings of typical products in company with some locals. Meetings with local producers; events for children. Fiha di Sanglier or Wild boar festival August - The gastronomic festival dedicated to wild boar meat paired with Aosta Valley cheeses, polenta and local black bread, is enlivened by entertainment for children and teenagers and usually includes a dance evening with live music. Lo Pan Ner October - This festival dedicated to rye bread is celebrated simultaneously in about 50 municipalities of the Aosta Valley. The ovens of the towns are lit up inviting residents and tourists to taste freshly baked black rye bread with events and entertainment in the name of conviviality, good taste and pleasure.
All about the 3 Valle d'Aosta valleys: information, news, events and services for the traveler.
Interactive laboratory, sensory and multimedia spaces, reference themes are water, forest and pasture, fauna and man.
