Graines Castle is a 'primitive' castle, built in the 11th century on a rocky spur overlooking the village. It was intended to control the valley. Its main constituent elements are the high crenellated tower with a quadrangular plan, the chapel and a wall along the perimeter that follows the trend of the cliff and is missing on the overhanging side.
The castle is located on the top of a cliff, at the entrance of the Freudière valley, in a position to control the entire Ayas Valley and access to the upper Gressoney Valley. From the structure you can see the church dedicated to San Martino because it is located in a scenic setting quite important.
The ruins of the castle of Graines can be reached by taking the regional road from Verrès to the Val d'Ayas, turning right after the village of Arcesaz (Brusson): from here you take a short path that winds along a cherry forest, especially during spring and autumn. Beneath it is buried a treasure that no one has ever managed to bring to light. The legend tells that to a young cowherd, in a dream, a voice had indicated to him the point where he would have to dig, warning him to leave the hiding place before the cock sang three times. The next night, the man discovered a trap door and entered the treasure room. Dazzled by the glitter of gold and gems that filled the cave, he sadly sank his hands there. The cock sang: once, twice, three times. The trap door closed quietly: and the man remained prisoner in the enchanted cave, and no one knew of him.
