Three Places to Explore with Children in Brusson

Graines Castle: a fortress in the clouds

Graines Castle sits high above the valley, reached by a short climb from Arcesaz through a gentle trail that rises to the ancient walls. It's a medieval fortress perched on rock, with a square tower and a small chapel—the only structures still standing from what was once a strategic outpost watching over the valley.
 

Children love exploring the narrow passages, peering through the tower's arrow slits, taking photos toward Brusson and the whole of Val d'Ayas spreading below. The view reads like a map: you can pick out villages, forests, pastures, the line of the stream threading through.
 

It's worth stopping in the village of Graines itself, just below the castle. This is an old hamlet where time seems to have paused: the communal bread oven still stands, along with the former schoolhouse and stone homes with architectural details that speak of centuries of mountain life. A quiet place where you walk slowly and observe.

 

Brusson Lake: where the day expands

Brusson's lake is the green heart of the village, where families spend entire summer days. There's a play area with sand, inflatables, and slides for young children, a beach volleyball court, an amphitheater for evening performances, and wide lawns for stretching out in the shade.
 

Thursday is market day: stalls selling local products, cheeses, honey, crafts. Along the shore, small kiosks offer gelato or quick meals—sandwiches, salads, polenta with sausage to carry onto the grass for an impromptu picnic.
 

From the lake, a flat path follows the Evançon stream to the hamlet of Extrepieraz, manageable even with a stroller. In winter, the same route becomes the cross-country ski track. Along the way you'll pass a rock climbing wall where, in summer, alpine guides run climbing courses for children: harnesses, helmets, slow movements up the face, always safe.
 

Not far off, at Località Diga, sits the gold mining museum—a perfect introduction before descending underground.

 

Chamousira Gold Mine: inside the mountain

Above Brusson, at Località Dela on the road to Estoul, a trail leads to the Chamousira gold mine. Twenty minutes of climbing brings you to the gallery entrance, carved into a rocky spur with views embracing the entire valley.
 

Here, gold hid in quartz veins, extracted through hard labor by miners working in darkness with few tools and great courage. Today you can visit the gallery at level 7 of the Fenilliaz seam, accompanied by guides who tell stories of work, hardship, and hopes buried in stone.
 

Inside it's cold, even in summer. Children don helmets and walk quietly, struck by the darkness, the sound of dripping water, the awareness of being inside the mountain. It's an experience that stays with them: the discovery that wealth here had to be sought meter by meter, with bare hands.
 

Before or after the visit, it's worth stopping at the Espace Herbert visitor center, where you can deepen your understanding of Brusson's mining history through panels, artifacts, and stories.

 

The mines are visitable by reservation for groups. Brusson Lake is open year-round. Information: Miniere d'Oro di Brusson, Loc. Dela - tel. +39 344 293 4564