Make a small detour to La Place, the main village of Issogne, which you will not pass through on the Valle d'Aosta motorway or main road, you can visit there one of the most beautiful castles in the valley.

The Castle of Issogne, located on the right bank of the Dora Baltea, is a Renaissance stately home in stark contrast to the austere manor house of Verrès, located just across the river.

Built on the ruins of a Roman villa from the 1st century BC, the castle was first mentioned in 1151. Originally an episcopal stronghold, it was transformed from 1379 into an elegant courtly Gothic castle, with a series of towers and buildings within a wall.

Sold at auction in 1872, it was acquired by the Torino painter Vittorio Avondo, who restored it to its former splendour through extensive restoration work. It was bought by the autonomous region of Valle d'Aosta in 1948 and is now called "the Castle of Dreams".

It still contains some original furniture and furnishings restored at the end of the 19th century. As desired by Avondo, to whom a tour is dedicated, the furniture and the many objects of daily use evoke a late 15th century residence.

Useful links

Italian Autonomous Region of Val d'Aoste (iSwitzerland Guide) - Wikipedia