The Archaeological Area

La Thuile is a historic crossroads where ancient peoples have left clear evidence of their work, conquests and beliefs. 

Just a short distance from the Little St. Bernard Pass, you can explore a rich archaeological area that showcases various historical periods. This includes the pre-Celtic Cromlech (3000 BC), which is likely an astronomical calendar similar to the more famous Stonehenge, which served as a landmark for travellers given its proximity to an Alpine pass. The stone circle, which is one of Italy’s most significant, features 46 stones placed vertically in the ground at intervals of 2 to 4 metres, creating a large circle with a diameter of at least 72 metres. Alternatively, you can walk along a key section of one of the most strategic communication routes from the Roman era (45 B.C.), known as the Alpis Graia, or Via delle Gallie, which Julius Caesar commissioned to connect Milan, the imperial capital, with Lyon, the then capital of the Gauls. 

Also dating back to Roman times are two mansiones, i.e. two typical rest areas built along the Empire's main consular roads to provide food, accommodation and fresh horses for officials and travellers. Often fortified, these mansiones symbolised the power of the Roman Empire and unity of its various provinces. Of the two in La Thuile, one is in Italian territory and the other in French territory. The eastern mansio, located in Italy, contains the remains of a  fanum, a small square temple of typically Gallic worship. The western mansio, in France, which can be seen just beyond the former Customs House, features the ruins of a sanctuary dedicated to the patron god of soldiers and, in this case, also of Alpis Graia. 

A little further on, you’ll find another Roman landmark: the Jupiter’s Column, which today is topped with a statue of Bernard, of medieval origin. Situated at the highest point in the area (2,188 m), it likely had a lantern that served to guide travellers and pilgrims for millennia.
The significance of this archaeological area as a transit route is further highlighted by the presence of a medieval hospice built around 1100 by Bernard of Menthon, Archdeacon of Aosta. The Little St. Bernard Hospice, managed by the friars of the Mauritian Order in recent centuries, was repeatedly destroyed during various wars. It was last rebuilt in 1998 and now serves as a tourist complex offering accommodation, dining and services. It also houses the International Tourist Information Office and the Museum of the History of the Pass, Valdigne and Savoy.