On the occasion of World Soil Day, let's discover together three wonderful natural reserves of the Aosta Valley, a true treasure of biodiversity and uncontaminated landscapes.
1. Villa Lake
In the municipality of Challand Saint-Victor, in the lower Val d'Ayas, there is the small Lake Villa, which is the heart of the natural reserve of the same name that extends over a surface of 25 hectares. Reachable with a walk of about twenty minutes, the lake is a true naturalistic jewel. From the point of view of vegetation, near the banks we find hygrophilous woods and reeds, while in the surrounding areas the forest of Scots pine, downy oak and chestnut thrives. The lake is also home to marsh and aquatic species that are rare in the Aosta Valley such as the tomentose sedge, the white water lily and the amphibian polygon. From the point of view of fauna, the lake is the main place of reproduction of the common toad in the Aosta Valley. From the lake and from many points of the lower Val d'Ayas you can admire, in the distance, Mont Avic, located beyond the main valley furrow, within the natural park that takes its name from this mountain. This 3,006-meter peak is iconic and easily recognizable because, from this side, it has a slender and sharp appearance (it seems that “Avic” derives from “A.” = acute). There are also other reasons to visit the area. The village of Challand Saint-Victor stands in a pleasant position and was the first possession of the noble Challant family. The Parish Church of San Vittore preserves a notable wooden crucifix from the 15th century and valuable Baroque wooden altars. In the surrounding area, in addition to Lake Villa, there is the ruined Villa Castle, the oldest Challant manor, and the Isollaz Waterfall.
2. The Marais nature reserve
The protected areas of the Aosta Valley include, in addition to the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Mont Avic Natural Park (we'll talk about them later), ten small nature reserves: these are places where there are small lakes, wetlands, or more generally areas with marked naturalistic, vegetational or faunal peculiarities. One of the most interesting is the Marais Nature Reserve (another is Lago di Villa, see chap. 28). It extends for just 8 hectares between La Salle and Morgex along the Dora Baltea where this forms a small lake due to a hydroelectric dam. The reserve is nestled between state road 26 and the A5 motorway. Wait a moment, let's reread: hydroelectric - state road - motorway.
It doesn't seem like a must-see place. Maybe the author of this book is crazy when he recommends going there. Wait... first immerse yourself in the thick vegetation of the reserve that actually hides the vehicles that speed by; then look at Mont Blanc framed by the closest slopes as if it were at the center of a viewfinder; finally consider the naturalistic value of the place, with the vegetation typical of humid environments, and the presence of animal species, especially migratory birds that stop here. After all, what does it feel like to be here? The sensation of experiencing nature's revenge: here the world is healing its wounds.
3. Vallette Lake
Located in the Champdepraz Valley (or Val Chalamy), in the Monte Avic Natural Park, at around 2,150 meters above sea level, Lake Vallette is one of the spectacular. Located on the side of the Aosta Valley opposite the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa, you can see these two famous Four-thousanders, but from afar, in an overall view that almost resembles a geography lesson: here is the Matterhorn and the entire parade of peaks that form the Rosa Group from the Breithorn to Punta Gnifetti. Between the lake and these distant peaks, there is the Aosta Valley valley floor, with the villages, shops, cars, roads, hotels ... but there is no hint of all this from here. The valley below is just an immense empty space that, as an empty space, we can fill with our fantasies. Let's imagine then that we are on the shores of a North American lake, with the distant peaks of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa acting as backdrops similarly to what Denali does with so many lakes in Alaska. The sparse, pointed larches that grow on the shores of Vallette Lake provide another superb landscape note with an American flavour.
