Walking around the fantastic Val di Susa. Visit to the Novalesa Abbey and the Avigliana Lakes

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Abbey Novalesa:
A short distance from Mount Rocciamelone in Val di Susa, between the Mont Cenis and the Montgenèvre, there is this small village that houses a small congregation of Benedictine monks "ora et labora" Abbey Novalesa (TO). The abbey has a long history, contest, destroyed, rebuilt, is a native of 726 AD and consists of the center which is the central monastery abbey large, some small chapels more 'small surrounding land and premises of the friars. The history of the abbey is long and interesting and you can listen to during the visit led by a Benedictine monk. The tours are free, every day except Mondays ', 4 times a day or so, you can' visit the chapels of the abbey, the museum area, the little shop of various products and their surroundings with the balcony on the valley Susa. In the monastery complex is also home to tourists / pilgrims for short periods so that 'we can approach the Benedictine monastic life and live it with the brothers for a few days. The congregation of monks does all the work of the center and specialize in the restoration of old books. Abbey Novalesa is well signposted in both highway in the village.
Highway exit from the Turin-Bardonecchia and Susa.
Abbey Novalesa tourist attraction and pilgrimage destination for many, a place known and driven into the valley of Susa at the gates of France and not far from Turin, we decide to give us a jump .......
At 09:40 we're there, we park in the parking down before entering on a path that leads to the Abbey. Once they 'will win a monk who tells us to create a group for the tour (which we imagine to be paid), we begin to look around and snap some pictures at the Abbey but not very surprised or excited, the abbey is not seems that nothing ..... all around is green, very green, all surrounded by lush nature of the valley, down 'down a river flowing between the rocks .... We join with 3 children arrived in campers and 2 lords of Rimini, I just long to see that there are exhibition areas and a small museum shop, are in a courtyard of the abbey, gravel underfoot and signs that give information on visits , masses, times, history, etc. ...... I learn quickly that it is not any one place, at present it is a known place, so it must have had something important in his long life ...... let's see what he says in the Benedictine monk ......
And so 'Part 5 minutes after the visit and we are heading toward a shrine in the meadows, uphill, passing through some areas with crops and grassy hills, old stone buildings that have not seemed to be places of worship ..... . The environment around is special, I'm curious and slowly, across a wrought-iron gate, the centerpiece of the complex.
A little girl but very pretty chapel, frescoes can be glimpsed from the outside, position us out while our religious guide shows us the interesting story for an hour and ancient site, which unlike the abbey, which I visited in the past this is not composed only of a "church" central importance but several ancient chapels, all in the green. Lost? Perhaps it is a warm and "cheerful" between the nature of the mountain.
The chapel that the monk shows us is the first complex built in 700 or so, the story is long and between Italian, French, popes, bishops, miracles and true story the story takes shape with the river of words of the monk and us that we are speechless hear who did what and when and where. Destruction, reconstruction, cooperation, Napoleon, military aid and important paintings. The narrative extends to the churches of Turin, we mention the Shroud, we speak of the valley, mountains ..... the work of the Benedictines, what do the monks in the monastery complex, 7 brothers who are helped by the surrounding population and the regional incentives and provincial lead a bad life praying and working, learning, restoration of old books and reception of pilgrims. When we are saturated to know we are given to admire the frescoes inside the chapel, never restored and well preserved thanks to a unique climate in the valley of Susa.
The natural balcony from 'the bottom of the valley, Mount Rocciamelone behind us, we see the Mont Cenis, is morning and the air is crisp, we're in the mountains, the visit was comprehensive and interesting.
I took several photographs, the view from there is very beautiful, is also leaving a hot sun. Look around the abbey central, more 'big but not huge, poor but not too bare but also rich, old but very nice and interesting to see.
The areas are composed of several museum rooms, spaces in which exposed the processing stages of restoration of old books, some interesting object inherent in the life of the Benedictines in the small shop and buy the honey produced by the monks, the store has a lot of products and objects, classic from things to things more 'original. 10:45 when we are approaching the car at the time of the Fort Exilles.
The visit to the council who wants to live a day in nature to those interested in history and religion, art lovers, who loves to get up early and then go out everything around.
Everything has a cost equal to zero in the sense that the car park without paying, even a visit, maybe you leave a bid to church and buy a little something in the small shop ......

Lakes Avigliana:
At five o'clock arrival in the area and have time for a visit and a walk along the lake, curious to see how the area for another fairly famous. Along the lake there are several car parks, clubs, restaurants, hotels ...... very green and a long walk for nearly half 'of the big lake. Start the walk along the lake from the area where I had eaten lunch, a bar, pub and restaurant on the shore and continues towards the city center. there are many people, some fishing, some houses are huddled at the lake and not too well maintained. Sometimes a bench, many trees that obstruct the view of the lake at that hour has the classic beautiful reflections of the sun in late afternoon. The walk is partly excavated and partly created by walkways over the water, the overall view and the atmosphere is pleasant, it is summer and the sun's reflection on the water warms and tans. The bridges are quite new, but let us say that totally ruin the surrounding nature. Windsurfing on the lake, boats, canoes ....... and a motorboat that takes guests to do the tour of the entire lake is not great. Unfortunately I have no way of seeing the corners very dirty and rubbish left in the trees, sites not treated and sewers which drain into the lake.
The lake is not transparent, the water is very dirty, full of algae and what would be the least ...... really dirty! Someone washes the feet in the water, I guess it is not swimming but I can tell, not even to bathe for a fee. is pretty sight, with the reflections of the sun, I see the other side of the villas on the banks, a springboard into the water I am assuming there are performances of water skiing as a sport is practiced anyway.
We pass to the center where you rent boats, pedal boats and where the headquarters of the sailing school.
The banks are not very pleasant, should at least keep them clean ..... The houses are not much on the lake ..... People walking in that I think is a custom, one of the few things nice and relaxing to do in zero dollars but to be honest if I give a vote is a five and a half.