Food Festivals
Major events celebrating the culinary and wine excellence of the Upper Gran San Bernardo Valley: historic festivals, tastings in the villages, and traditional flavors to experience and savor in every season.
Saint-Oyen
At 1,373 m above sea level along the Via Francigena: Saint-Oyen is a historic waystation village, nestled among pastures, pine forests, and Alpine cuisine, home of Jambon alla Brace.
Topics
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Fontina and Alpine Pasture Cheeses
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Historic Village
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Jambon alla Brace
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Via Francigena
The village at the heart of the upper valley
Climbing along State Road 27 toward the Great St Bernard Pass, Saint-Oyen sits at an altitude of 1,373 meters, positioned at the center of the valley between Étroubles and Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses.
Surrounded by coniferous woods and Alpine pastures, the village has a long history of welcoming travelers along the Via Francigena, evidenced by the medieval fortified house of Château-Verdun, donated to the Canons of the pass in 1137.
The village’s identity:
- Location: a central point in the valley, from which summer trails branch off toward Col Champillon, along with dirt paths for mountain biking
- The Flassin sports center: a winter hub for cross-country skiing and snow activities
- Culinary and craft roots: the birthplace of Jambon alla Brace and a land of master wood carvers.
A close-knit village, where daily life follows the rhythm of the mountains, in every season.
History, Sport, and Flavor
Château Verdun Safe House
A medieval fortress dating from the 10th–11th centuries, donated in 1137 to the Canons of the Great St. Bernard: a place of historical significance and hospitality for travelers.
Woodworking and Sculpture
The centuries-old tradition of wood and stone carving in Saint-Oyen, brought to new heights of excellence by contemporary sculptor Siro Viérin.
The Valley of the Hams
Two unique hams just a few kilometers apart along the Via Francigena: the Jambon de Bosses DOP, a raw alpine ham, and the Jambon alla Brace di Saint-Oyen, a oven-baked ham.
Image Gallery
The Villages of the Great St Bernard
Étroubles
At an altitude of 1,270 meters along the Via Francigena: Étroubles is one of Italy’s most beautiful medieval villages and an open-air museum. Here, the tradition of the veillà is still kept alive.
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
At 1,632 meters, the last village before the pass: the story of the Marronniers and the Soldats de la neige, the medieval Castle, the Jambon de Bosses DOP, and skiing at Crévacol.