Montjovet Villa Lake Nature Reserve

The Villa Lake Nature Reserve covers 25 hectares between the municipalities of Challand-Saint-Victor and of Montjovet, in Val d’Ayas, at an altitude of 810 to 980 m.a.s.l.

It is a wonderful oasis of peace and serenity, where the dulcet sounds of nature unspoiled by human activity reign.
This area is beautiful to see in any season, but in our opinion, it is even more fascinating with the colors of autumn.

The birth of the Nature Reserve

The Nature Reserve was established in 1982.
Managed by the Protected Areas Service, it is classified as a Site of Community Importance for the conservation of natural habitats.

In fact, this reserve is home to numerous species of wildlife, some of them very rare, if not unique in the Aosta Valley territory.

The Villa Lake Nature Reserve is an authentic open-air educational museum with so many hidden riches and curiosities that are interesting for both adults and children.

Lake Villa: an “Italian Wonder”

The Nature Reserve between the municipalities of Challand-Saint-Victor and of Montjovet is home to a pretty little lake, known as Villa Lake, whose waters reach a maximum depth of 7.5 meters.

The lake in question has even been awarded the prestigious prize of “Italian Wonder,” and it is an ideal place to admire the wilderness and mountain landscape protected by the Nature Reserve in which it is embedded.

Lake Villa is one of the rare examples of a lacustrine-torrential basin of glacial origin, created by the excavation of the basin where it is located today by the glacier, which also created all the surrounding bumps.

This lake has no natural tributaries except for some underground inputs, such as seepage water and springs.
In addition, there is the Ru d’Arlaz that contributes to feeding the basin.

The legend of Lake VillaA legend says that long ago, the waters of Lake Villa were inhabited by a curious dragon who, at the time when humans were sleeping, used to leave his cave and come out into the open in the silence of the night.His favorite pastime was playing with a golden ball, and one day it happened that a farmer, on his way home, passed right by the lake and saw the dragon playing with the precious ball.

After seeing this treasure, the farmer wanted to return to try to get hold of the golden ball.
He entered a barrel lined with nails and let himself go on the waters of the lake.

Like every night, the dragon went out to play and did not notice the intruder.
Bouncing and having fun, at one point the dragon threw the ball too far, exactly where the farmer was hiding.

The latter stealthily took the loot, and the animal, no longer finding the ball, became enraged with the barrel, but with each vain attempt to enter it, it severely injured itself with the outer nails.

After this deception, it is said that the farmer managed to escape with his treasure and that the dragon still lies in the depths of the lake today without ever being seen by humans.

How to get to Villa Lake Nature Reserve

Villa Lake Nature Reserve is accessible to everyone, adults, children and even people with disabilities.

One can travel to the Reserve by car, taking the road from Verrès leads to Challand-Saint-Victor.
Dopodiché, si procede verso il villaggio in frazione Nabian.

Signs appear here indicating the way to the Nature Reserve.
Continue by car for about two and a half kilometers until you reach a small roadside parking lot.

Finally, continue on foot and enter the oak and lodgepole pine forest, following the illustrative signs and trails.