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Verrès Castle stands in a strategic position overlooking an ancient village from the top of a rock promontory to the left of the Evançon stream. But it does not only offer protection to that settlements as from its battlements a comprehensive view of the surrounding area is also available, including a section of the central valley, the mule track of Challand-Ayas Valley, and the route running from Verrès to Isollaz, a district of Challand-Saint-Victor. The latter track is the only one leading to the castle today, starting from Emile Chanoux Square, where a niche has housed the bronze bust of Ibleto di Challant, the founder of the castle, since 1991.
The other access road is the asphalted one originating from the sports facility and running towards the village of Omens; such road eventually gives way to the old mule track that reaches the foot of the XVI century ramparts of the castle and its entrance portal. The latter used to be protected by the main drawbridge and is still flanked by a secondary one reserved for pedestrians.

Once inside, the left door leads to the park with the stables, whose perimeter is entirely crossed by ramparts fitted with gun emplacements. On the opposite side, a sloping path leads to the guardhouse and the prisons in the basement. This path leads to the actual entrance to the castle. At courtyard level, a door near the staircase leads to the garrison canteen which still retains its beautiful fireplace.

The other two sides of the building are occupied for their entire length by two large halls. Another large space was used as the dining room, connected to the kitchen by a hatch and heated by two braziers. The second floor, seriously damaged by bad weather during several centuries of abandonment, was used by the lords and their entourage.

Since 1983, Verrès Castle has hosted the “Foreign Travelers in the Aosta Valley” permanent exhibition. At the beginning of the second post-war period, the castle passed to Valle d’Aosta Region and in the early 80s the roof was rebuilt with stone slabs (locally known as “lose”); the above-mentioned damage caused by bad weather was also taken care of, especially inside the fortress.

The Verrès carnival

Since 1949, the local carnival has been celebrated at the castle, reminiscent of May 31, 1449, when Caterina Challant and her husband Pietro d’Introd visited the town square and began to dance with the inhabitants of the village. During the four days of the carnival, the castle hosts dinners and masquerades, as well as the play called “A game of chess” by Giuseppe Giacosa.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)