Charvensod Hermitage of San Grato
Hermitage dedicated to a bishop
The Hermitage of San Grato is a chapel dedicated to St. Grato, bishop and patron of the diocese of Aosta, who lived in the fifth century AD. It is located at an altitude of 1773 meters above the village of Péroulaz, surrounded by meadows and forests and thus offering a splendid view of the city of Aosta and the surrounding mountains. How to reach the Hermitage of San Grato The hermitage is easily accessible on foot from several starting points.
You can start from the church of Santa Colomba in Charvensod and follow trail 102, which runs through the woods for about 2 hours and 40 minutes (elevation gain 900 meters).
Or you can arrive in Pila by car or by gondola from Aosta and then continue along the dirt road that passes under the cables of the Pila-Chamolé lift, for about 30 minutes (elevation gain 55 meters).
Along the way you can admire the area’s natural and historical sights, such as Champlong Castle, the church of San Lorenzo, and the village of Les Fleurs.
The Hermitage of St. Grat today The hermitage is still a place of devotion and pilgrimage for many believers.
Every year, on the night of September 6-7, there is the “Route des jeunes,” a procession from the church in Pila to the hermitage, to celebrate the patron saint of the Aosta Valley.
The hermitage is also a place of peace and silence, where one can breathe in a spiritual and contemplative atmosphere.
Inside the chapel, one can observe frescoes that narrate the life of St. Grato and his miraculous works.
Hermitage of San Grato The History
History of the Hermitage of St. Grato According to tradition, St. Grato often withdrew to this place to meditate and pray in solitude, accompanied by his disciple Jocundus.
The earliest documentary evidence of the hermitage dates back to the 13th century, but the present chapel was enlarged and enriched in 1754.
Unfortunately, in 1918, an avalanche partially destroyed the structure, which was later restored.
On top of the bell tower stands a three-meter statue depicting the saint, created in 1863 by Aosta Valley sculptor Basil Thomasset.
