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Aymavilles is situated at an altitude of 646 metres, 8 kilometres away from Aosta at the mouth of the Cogne Valley. There are records of the town during Roman times and it later became a feud of the Challant di Fénis family. There were two parishes: Saint-Martin, which dates back to before the seventeenth century, and Saint-Léger which broke off from Saint-Martin before the nineteenth century.
The ancient castle of Aymavilles was converted from a stronghold into a residential villa in 1713 by Joseph-Félix de Challant. During the past century a blast furnace operated in Aymavilles to smelt the iron ore brought from Cogne.
Aymavilles is a holiday resort in a central position which is well supplied with hotels, restaurants and other facilities, as well as a modern wine-producers' cooperative. Relatively close by it is possible to visit the church of Saint-Léger with its finely frescoed facade, the Roman acqueduct of Pont d'Ael, the castles of Saint-Pierre, which now houses the Natural History Museum, and of Sarriod de la Tour which now houses the Archeological Exhibition and the castle of Sarre. More energetic visitors will find a 8 kilometre cross-country ski track at Ozein, the starting point for the alpine ski route to Pointe de la Pierre.
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