Étroubles Open-Air Museum

Art Along the Route

In 2005, Étroubles set a clear course: to take contemporary art out of traditional museums and place it on walls, in small squares, and along the village’s narrow streets.
The project is called “À Étroubles, avant toi sont passés…” and stems from an observation: this village has been traversed for two thousand years along the Via Francigena. The initiative’s motto, “a village between art and nature, ” reflects this choice: to integrate human creativity into the Alpine landscape without disrupting it, thereby creating a concrete and lasting economic opportunity for the village.

The trail began with 16 works thanks to a collaboration with the Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny and the European Social Fund. Today, there are 22 permanent works, all outdoors, with no set hours and no admission fee.

The Artists

The twenty-two works are by international, Italian, and Valle d’Aosta-based sculptors and painters:

• From Switzerland and France: Hans Erni, Yves Dana, Michel Favre; Albert Féraud, Guido Magnone, Evéline Otis Bacchi, Norbert Verzotti.
• From Italy and abroad: Salvatore Sebaste, Sergio Zanni, Alberto Gambale, Carlo Brenna, Italo Bolano, Andrea Granchi, and Assaf Mekhtiev (Azerbaijan).
• From the Aosta Valley: Franco Balan, Siro Viérin, Chicco Margaroli, Roberto Priod, Giulio Schiavon, and local artist Enrichetta Jorrioz.

Exhibitions and Events: ExpoÉtroubles

In addition to the permanent exhibition, the City organizes exhibitions and cultural events under the ExpoÉtroubles umbrella, in collaboration with the local associations ArtÉtroubles and Parrellarte.
Thanks to its connection with Léonard Gianadda, the exhibition “Rodin et Claudel – création et matière” was held here in 2007, attracting 4,000 visitors from across Europe and overseas.

How to Visit the Museum

There are no ticket booths or turnstiles. You enter the village of Étroubles on foot and follow the narrow streets. Next to each artwork is an explanatory panel detailing the artist’s background and the meaning of the work. A complete map and in-depth information on the individual works are available on the ExpoÉtroubles website.