Saint-Oyen is a small village located at 1373 meters above sea level, characterized by beautiful little houses in the Aosta Valley style. It is located along the road up to the Great St. Bernard Pass and offers beautiful views and tranquility. When I was little, I used to come to these areas often with my family, and even now when I can, I go back with my daughters.
You can plan a couple of days by going to discover Saint-Oyen and the small village of Cerisey, taking nature walks, barbecues or tasting the local cuisine in one of the few authentic restaurants in the area.
What to do in Saint-Oyen with children
☛ Area pic-nic “Prenoud” – Saint-Oyen
This is a large picnic area equipped with barbecue stations, tables and fountains where very fresh water gushes out. Toilet facilities are also present.
For the past few years, the use of the picnic area in the period between 15/05 and 30/09 has become a fee. The rates are as follows: 5.00€ per table; 4.00€ per stove equipped with wood. For payment, the attendants come by.
☛ Playground
Just in front of the entrance to the picnic area, there is a small park with brand new games in a beautiful natural setting.
Walks to do with children in Saint-Oyen
Walk Prenoud – Voulpellière: Percorso Vita
You enter the Prenoud picnic area and continue on the level path that runs alongside the tables and barbecue area. Just in front of the toilets, on the left, you can find the sign marking the beginning of the Percorso Vita (Life Path), which, with an easy half-hour walk suitable also for strollers, leads to Etroubles.
Along the walk-approximately 1,200m long-which winds its way through a beautiful fir forest, one encounters the installations of the Percorso Vita suitable for adults or older children, left unfortunately often submerged in tall grass.
What to do in Saint-Oyen with children in winter
On Rue de Flassin-continuing 1km from the Prenoud picnic area in Saint-Oyen, on the road to Cerisey-there is a nice snow playground where children can have fun with inflatables, sleds and bobsleds. For the little ones there is also an inflatable slide and a merry-go-round. There is also a restaurant and ample parking on site.
Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission Fee: 14€ adult and child ≻6years; 7€ children 3-6years; free under.
Where to eat in Saint-Oyen
❖ Near the Prenoud picnic area, just before the RV area, is the Bar Ristorante Campeggio Vecchio Mulino, which offers good typical cuisine and a dehor with tables and a few games for children.
❖ Less than a kilometer’s walk from the Prenoud area is La Meison de La Polenta, a typical restaurant where you can enjoy excellent polenta with various toppings in a rustic setting.
Where to sleep in Saint-Oyen
Apartment Chez Nous – This is an apartment that can accommodate up to 6 people, with a terrace and children’s play area. Crib on request at a cost of 5euro and possibility of dining at the in-house restaurant. Book here.
How to get to Saint-Oyen
To get to Saint-Oyen, you need to exit at the Aosta freeway toll booth and take the SS27 in the direction of Great St. Bernard. It takes about 20 minutes.
Festivals in Saint-Oyen: Festival of Grilled Jambon
In the locality of Prenoud, every year on the first weekend of August there is the Sagra del Jambon alla brace, the famous Saint-Oyen ham cooked on a spit with wood from the Upper Great St. Bernard Valley-fir, larch, alder and ash.
Jambon alla brace de Saint-Oyen is included in the list of traditional Valdostan agri-food products. During the festival, grilled ham is usually accompanied by a side dish of polenta and green beans.
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▶ Cerisey
