Allein

Europe

Italy

Access

Allein can be reached via the Turin-Aosta motorway, with the recommended exit at Aosta Est. From the toll station, continue along the Gran San Bernardo road and then along the regional road up the slope towards the villages in the municipality. The road network is asphalted but characterised by uphill stretches and mountain bends; during the winter season, snow or ice conditions may occur that require adequate equipment.
The nearest railway station is Aosta, on the Chivasso-Aosta line, connected to Turin. The reference airport is Turin-Caselle; further away is Milan Malpensa airport. Public transport connections by road are guaranteed by regional lines connecting Aosta to the municipalities of the Gran San Bernardo valley, with variable frequency on holidays and in winter.

Introduction

Allein is a mountain municipality in Valle d'Aosta, located on the orographic left side of the Gran San Bernardo valley, in an elevated position with respect to the Dora Baltea valley floor. The territory extends between 1,190 and over 2,600 metres above sea level, articulated in a series of scattered villages distributed along the slope overlooking the Artanavaz stream. Its geographical location places it in direct relation to Gignod and Doues, in an area characterised by wide pastures, coniferous forests and panoramic ridges facing the central valley of Valle d'Aosta. The origins of the population are linked to the medieval agricultural-pastoral colonisation, with an organisation of the territory based on rural nuclei and seasonal mountain pastures. An identifying element of the municipality is the widespread settlement structure, still legible in the traditional stone and wood architecture, which preserves the historical physiognomy of an alpine environment with a pastoral vocation.

Description

The municipal territory extends over a wide, sunny slope between the main furrow of the Gran San Bernardo valley and the ridges that mark the border with the lateral basins. The morphology is typically alpine, with terraced slopes, extensive pastureland and wooded areas that give way, at higher altitudes, to high-altitude meadows and scree environments. The Artanavaz torrent cuts through the lower part of the territory, constituting the main hydrographic element and contributing to the historical definition of the settlements.
The settlements are not concentrated in a single compact centre, but are divided into hamlets distributed along the municipal road system, including La Ville, chef-lieu and site of the parish church of Saint-Ours, and numerous rural nuclei that preserve traditional buildings with slate roofs and wooden barns. This dispersion reflects a settlement pattern linked to the seasonal exploitation of agricultural and pastoral resources.
Allein's historical origins are linked to the feudal system and medieval ecclesiastical structures that organised the territory of the Great St. Bernard Valley. Over the centuries, the local economy was based on cattle breeding, dairy production and the cultivation of cereals and fodder in complex environmental conditions. Still today, agricultural activity and the management of the alpine pastures represent a central element of the local landscape and culture, complemented by a stable residential presence and forms of frequentation linked to hiking.
In terms of hiking, Allein offers an articulated network of trails that connect the hamlets to the high-altitude pastures and the panoramic ridges towards Mont Saron and the crests that separate the territory from Doues and Gignod. The routes allow connections with broader itineraries in the Great St. Bernard Valley, crossing pastoral environments, mountain pastures and observation points on the central valley of the Dora Baltea. The presence of wide open spaces and significant differences in altitude make the area suitable for summer hiking, snowshoeing and ski mountaineering along unequipped routes.

Information

Area: 7.96 km²
Altitude: 1,190m
Maximum elevation: 2,681m - Mont Saron
Number of inhabitants: 208 (as of 1.01.2024)
Name in dialect: Alèn
Inhabitants' name: Allençois
Patron Saint: Saint Stephen (26 December)
Neighbouring communes: Doues, Étroubles, Gignod
Network site: comune.allein.ao.en

Main points of interest

Itineraries