Jambon de Bosses DOP
Raw ham seasoned with Alpine herbs and aged on high-mountain hay, made according to a recipe dating back to 1397.
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.
Two Ham-Making Traditions in a Single Valley
Driving up State Road 27 toward the Great St. Bernard Pass, you pass through a gastronomic region unique in the entire Alpine arc: the Vallée des Jambons.
Within just a few kilometers, the pure mountain air and centuries-old farming traditions have given rise to two interpretations of the art of ham-making that are profoundly different in technique yet united by a commitment to artisanal craftsmanship.
Grilled Ham from Saint-Oyen
The first and only cooked ham from the Aosta Valley: artisanal production, slow steam cooking, and roasting over charcoal in a wood-fired oven with genepy and local beer.
A Culinary Journey Through the Upper Valley
Whether you prefer the delicate, spicy flavor of raw alpine ham or the warm, smoky aroma of charcoal-grilled ham, the Vallée des Jambons is best explored at a leisurely pace:
- Workshop tours: explore the curing facility in Saint-Rhémy and the baking ovens in Saint-Oyen
- Tastings in the villages: platters featuring black rye bread, alpine butter, and Fontina DOP at historic ham shops and trattorias
- Major summer festivals: the Jambon de Bosses PDO Festival (second Sunday in July) and the Grilled Ham Festival (first weekend in August).
Explore the Vallée des Jambons
Stop by to sample the valley’s two finest cured meats.
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.
Where to Eat
Traditional Aosta Valley cuisine, polenta concia, alpine cheeses, and the valley’s famous hams in the villages and high-altitude mountain huts.
How to Find Us
The Great St. Bernard Valley lies in the heart of the Western Alps: the road connecting Italy and Switzerland via the Great St. Bernard Pass. The area is easily accessible from major urban centers
Local pairings: cheeses, black bread, and Alpine beer
The culinary experience in the Vallée des Jambons is rounded out by other traditional products from the Upper Valley:
- Fontina DOP from the mountain pastures and Séras: produced in the summer mountain pastures at altitudes over 2,000 meters and in the valley’s historic dairies
- Black rye bread: baked in traditional village-shared wood-fired ovens
- Les Bières du Grand-Saint-Bernard: high-altitude craft beers, brewed in Étroubles with pure spring water.
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Fontina DOP and Alpine Cheeses
Made exclusively from raw whole milk from cows in the Aosta Valley: the flavor of high-altitude summer pastures and aging in ancient tunnels.
The Beers of the Great St. Bernard Pass
Unpasteurized craft beer brewed with pure water from the glaciers of the Great St. Bernard Pass: from the first brewery in Étroubles in 2010 to the flavors of the Alps.
Whole wheat Bread
The ancient tradition of breadmaking and the communal lighting of wood-fired ovens in the villages of the Upper Valley.