Unité des Communes Évançon Arnad

Arnad is an Aosta Valley municipality of 1235 inhabitants, located in a slightly larger area of the region.
This town rises just 360 meters above sea level, just over 40 kilometers from Aosta, on the banks of the Dora Baltea River.
Arnad is especially famous for the culinary tradition of Lardo d’Arnad PDO, the absolute star of this village, which grows alongside fragrant chestnut forests.
The wood of these large plants is used precisely for the construction of the vessels useful for the seasoning and storage of this cured meat.

Arnad has two castles: the Upper Castle, which stands next to the Machaby valley and is one of the oldest in the entire Aosta Valley, renowned for being the “Valley of Castles.”le Chateau Vallaise or Lower Castle, which, on the other hand, is located further down the valley and looks more like a noble palace with two quadrangular towers placed on the sides for decorative purposes.
In addition, in Arnad-le-Vieux you can see the 11th-century Romanesque Church of St. Martin of Tours and the typical strong houses of medieval origin.
Going up towards Machaby, you can instead visit the wonderful Sanctuary of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, located in a very picturesque place, surrounded by woods and reached by a mule track.
The Via Francigena in Arnad Arnad is a stop on the long route of the Via Francigena, which from Canterbury, England, winds its way through France and northern Italy, eventually conquering the sacred St. Peter’s Square in Rome, in the center of the peninsula.

A section of the Via Francigena that passes through the Aosta Valley runs through the plains of the Lower Valley, furrowed by the Dora Baltea, and it is here that, having passed Verrès, the pilgrimage road also passes through Arnad.

During your stay in the Aosta Valley you can decide to walk a stretch of your choice of this very ancient pilgrimage route.
We highly recommend it, because this region will amaze you in every aspect, with its unexpected views, characteristic villages and numerous historical testimonies of incredible charm.