Bionaz: Glaciers, Trails and Traditions

Glaciers, Water and Trails

Approximately 15 percent of Bionaz's municipal area is covered by around twenty glaciers. Glacial water and water erosion have shaped alpine lakes, gorges, waterfalls, streams and small ponds in Bionaz. Bionaz therefore has around twenty glaciers and water features such as alpine lakes, gorges, waterfalls, streams and small ponds within the same municipal area. The Place Moulin dam is 155 metres high and 678 metres long, making it one of the largest dams in Europe.

At Place Moulin Lake, a level lakeside route closed to traffic leads in about an hour to the historic alpine farming site of Prarayer and the refuge of the same name.

Marked Trails and Winter Activities

From Ferrère, marked trail 15 leads to Alp Arp-Damon in approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Also from Ferrère, marked trail 14 leads to the Chentre-Bionaz bivouac in approximately three hours. Both marked trails start in Ferrère, but lead to different destinations and differ in their approximate walking time. If you plan your days according to walking time and activity, you can clearly distinguish these trails from the winter activities in Bionaz.

For snowshoeing, the municipality of Bionaz provides four route maps. The Dzovennoz–Lexert cross-country ski trail has a 5-kilometre main loop as well as several shorter variants ranging from 1 to 3 kilometres. This means that snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with trail variants of different lengths, are the main activities for a winter holiday in Bionaz.

Winter and Culture in Bionaz

In winter, rye bread is still baked in the ovens of Bionaz's hamlets. In Bionaz, the Inarpa and Desarpa festivals mark the seasonal movement of livestock to and from the higher-altitude pastures: in May, the cows return outdoors, and at the end of September, the herds leave the alpine pastures.

The parish church of Santa Margherita in Bionaz was built in 1694 by enlarging an older chapel dating from 1617. The Church of Santa Margherita features frescoes and paintings by the Genoese painter Ettore Mazzini, as well as a partially gilded Baroque wooden high altar.

During Carnival in Bionaz, people wear traditional costumes considered allegorical representations of the uniforms of French soldiers. Carnival thus provides another cultural highlight alongside the parish church of Santa Margherita and the seasonal festivals.

Rebel Park and Ropes Course

The Rebel Park adventure park in Bionaz is situated among rocks, fir trees and larches. The ziplines at Rebel Park are up to 120 metres long. The easy „Percorso dei Leprotti“ course at Rebel Park is intended for children aged 4 to 8. The age specification expressly refers to this course and not to the entire park.

Travelling from Aosta

From Aosta, Bionaz can be reached via the SS 27 of the Great St Bernard to the turn-off at Variney, followed by Regional Road 28. Bionaz can be reached from Aosta by the „Bionaz–Aosta“ bus route in approximately 50 minutes. When travelling from Aosta, the two options described differ in terms of means of transport and journey time.

Further destinations: Charvensod, Fénis Ao, Aymavilles, Etroubles, Lillianes, Aosta, Champoluc, Avise

To the higher-level travel overview: Aosta Valley.