The Path of Memory

The Path of Memory

Where it all began: the Little St. Bernard Pass

At an altitude of 2,188 meters, the Little St Bernard Pass is much more than an Alpine crossing: it is a crossroads of stories and civilizations.

Here, where the Alps unite Italy and France, you can still admire the remains of the megalithic Cromlech (around 3000 BC), an ancient stone circle with strong symbolic and spiritual meaning, as well as traces left by the Romans, such as the Column of Jupiter and the remains of the mansiones along the historic Road of the Gauls.

The Hospice of Saint Bernard, now a museum and information center, tells the story of centuries of hospitality offered to travelers passing through. Just a few steps away, the Chanousia Botanical Garden (founded in 1897) opens like a green book on Alpine biodiversity: with over 1,000 rare species, it is a small paradise of science and nature that blooms again every summer, from July to September.

Here, where the Alps unite Italy and France, you can still admire the remains of the megalithic Cromlech (around 3000 BC), an ancient stone circle with strong symbolic and spiritual meaning, as well as traces left by the Romans, such as the Column of Jupiter and the remains of the mansiones along the historic Road of the Gauls.

The Hospice of Saint Bernard, now a museum and information center, tells the story of centuries of hospitality offered to travelers passing through. Just a few steps away, the Chanousia Botanical Garden (founded in 1897) opens like a green book on Alpine biodiversity: with over 1,000 rare species, it is a small paradise of science and nature that blooms again every summer, from July to September.

 

The Little St Bernard Cromlech: Between Archaeology and Mystery

At an altitude of 2,188 meters, amidst the mountains of La Thuile, lies one of Italy’s most fascinating archaeological sites: the Little St Bernard Cromlech, a pre-Celtic megalithic circle dating back to 3000 BC. Composed of 46 stones arranged in a 72-meter diameter, the cromlech was likely used as an astronomical observatory or an agricultural calendar, similar to Stonehenge.

Every June 21, at the summer solstice, the sun creates a spectacular play of light and shadow: the sacred area of the circle remains illuminated, while the rest is briefly darkened by a perfect shadow cast by the nearby Mount Lancebranlette.

The site, located near the Little St Bernard Pass, was considered sacred by several civilizations: from the Celts to the Romans, and even during the Christian era. Just a few meters away stands the Column of Jupiter, later topped with a statue of Saint Bernard, the patron saint of mountaineers.