Sarteur Chapel
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
The chapel can only be reached on foot by following path from Mandriou.
Introduction
The Sarteur Chapel, located in Vascotchaz in the Val d'Ayas, is a small but significant religious building that represents the devotion of the Alpine communities of the Aosta Valley. This chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of the Snow, is a place of worship and recollection, set in breathtaking mountain scenery, at an altitude of approximately 2,251 metres.
Description
The history of these lands, as in the entire Val d'Ayas, has its roots in the past. In 1341, the lords of Challant, Giovanni, Pietro, Bonifacio and Giacometto, granted the Alpe Vachochy area, including pastures, to the inhabitants of Bisou. More recent is the history of the small white building above Alpe Métsan, visible from afar, e.g. from the Crest or the high valley of Cuneaz: the Sarteur Chapel, now known as Notre Dame des Montagnards. Originally built by the priests of the Sarteur family, uncle and nephew, in 1850 and dedicated to Saint Lawrence, according to Monsignor Edward Brunod, the chapel was private to the family and is now owned by the municipality of Ayas.
The chapel was first restored between 1928 and 1929 and blessed on 10 August 1929 by Canon Pierre-Philip Sarteur. It was then demolished and rebuilt in 1971 by the firm Berguet Marco. Today it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows and, after being neglected and defaced by graffiti and dirt, it has been restored to its present, excellent state.
In the summer of 2004, the chapel was consecrated by the Bishop of Aosta, Giuseppe Anfossi, on the occasion of the Thirtieth Falconetta, and has regained all its splendour thanks to the patient restoration work, promoted by Giorgio Francia. Since then, the chapel has served as a focal point for the celebration of the Becca di Nana. Since 2005, every first Saturday in July, at 11 a.m., a mass is celebrated there for mountain lovers. In the summer of 2014, the 10th anniversary of its inauguration and consecration was celebrated. Between June 2017 and November 2022, the chapel was maintained in excellent condition, with the interior protected by a double grill and discreet lighting, which is currently switched off. Two large outdoor signposts offer photographs and historical information on the vicissitudes of the chapel.
Behind the chapel is the alpine pasture, situated at 2,280 metres, from where trail number 3 to Colle Vascotchaz (Vascoccia) and then to Monte Facciabella starts. Trail 3A for the Becca di Nana or Falconetta also starts from here. The area of the Sarteur Chapel is occasionally used as a resting place for wayfarers, thanks to the old metal benches present.