Bionaz

The Commune of Bionaz (French: Commune de Bionaz; Italian: Comune di Bionaz; known during the years 1939–46 as Biona) is a sparsely populated municipality which extends over 143 square kilometres (55 sq mi) of the Valpelline area of the Aosta Valley region of northwest Italy. The commune lies on the left side of the river Dora Baltea. The population of about 240 is dispersed among 20 or more small alpine villages and hamlets including Biona itself, which is the main centre and capoluogo. The commune belongs to the Comunità Montana Grand Combin. Villages, hamlets and other centres The commune’s statute (Ministero dell’Interno 2002) designates the following localities, in addition to the capoluogo of Bionaz itself, as frazioni. Where the official form of the name differs from the name in common use, the latter is given in brackets (Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta 2005): Les Balmes (Balmes) Chentre Chez-Chenoux (Chez Chenoux) Chez-Noyer (Chez Noyer) Chez-les-Merloz (Chez les Merloz) Les Crêtes (Cretes) Les Dzovennoz (Dzovennoz) Lexert Les Ley (Ley) Le Moulin (Moulin) Perquis Les Places (Places) La Quelod (La Quellod) Les Rey (Rey) Les Rus (Ru) Les Vagères (Vagère) Le Vianoz (Lo Vianoz) The following localities, villages and other places not formally designated as frazioni, are also listed in the bulletin: Chamein (Chamin) Chez-Badin (Chez Badin) Le Clos-Neuf (Clou Neuf) La Ferrère (La Ferrera) La Léchère Plan-de-Veyne (Plan de Veyne) Pouillayes Prarayer Propéraz (Propera) Within the boundaries of the commune there are also three rifugi (mountain huts) which provide accommodation for climbers: Rifugio Prarayer - 2,005 metres (6,578 ft) Rifugio Aosta - 2,788 metres (9,147 ft) Rifugio Nacamuli al Col Collon - 2,818 metres (9,245 ft) Notes References Ministero dell’Interno (2002), Statuto del Comune di Bionaz (PDF) . Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta (11 January 2005), Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta (PDF) External links Bionaz at DMOZ (Italian)