Chamousira Gold Mine

Opened in 1899, after the discovery of gold reserves, the Chamousira Mine near Brusson was the most important gold mine in the Aosta Valley. Its most profitable years were between 1903 and 1906, when some 400 kilograms of gold were extracted. The mine remained active until the 1980s and opened to visitors in 2017. The accessible tunnels measure approximately 1.6 km. Guided tours give visitors access to levels 6 and 7, where they learn about gold extraction techniques, geology, the distribution of gold deposits and the daily life and working conditions of miners. The Herbet Documentation Centre is dedicated to Joseph Herbet, the former mine captain, who took many superb photographs through which the landscape’s transformation can be appreciated. The approach to the mine is through a striking modern building that is cantilevered from the hillside to give panoramic views of the valley, at the top of the cableway that was used to transport ore.