Valle D'Aosta (DOC)
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The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous
autonomous region An autonomous administrative division (also referred to as an autonomous area, zone, entity, unit, region, subdivision, province, or territory) is a subnational administrative division or territory, internal territory of a sovereign state that has ...
in northwestern
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It is bordered by
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (; AURA) or ; or ; . is a Regions of France, region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. The new region came into e ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, to the west; by
Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...
,
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
, to the north; and by
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
, Italy, to the south and east. The regional capital is
Aosta Aosta ( , , ; ; , or ; or ) is the principal city of the Aosta Valley, a bilingual Regions of Italy, region in the Italy, Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the G ...
. Covering an area of and with 122,714 inhabitants as of 2025, it is the smallest, least populous, and least densely populated region of Italy. The province of Aosta having been dissolved in 1945, the Aosta Valley region was the first
region of Italy The regions of Italy () are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italy, Italian Republic, constituting its second Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, #Autonomous regio ...
to abolish provincial subdivisions, followed by
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...
in 2017 (where they were reestablished later). Provincial administrative functions are provided by the regional government. The region is divided into 74 ().
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
are the official languages, and the
Valdôtain dialect Valdôtain (; endonym: , , ) is a dialect of Arpitan (Franco-Provençal) spoken in the Aosta Valley in Italy, and the common language of the Aosta Valley. It is commonly known as ''patois'' or . It is not an official language, the two regional o ...
of
Franco-Provençal Franco-Provençal (also Francoprovençal, Patois or Arpitan) is a Gallo-Romance languages, Gallo-Romance language that originated and is spoken in eastern France, western Switzerland, and northwestern Italy. Franco-Provençal has several di ...
is also officially recognized. Italian is spoken as a mother tongue by 77.29% of the population, Valdôtain by 17.91%, and French by 1.25%. In 2009, reportedly 50.53% of the population could speak all three languages.


Geography

The Aosta Valley is an Alpine valley which, with its tributary valleys, includes the Italian slopes of
Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...
,
Monte Rosa Monte Rosa (; ; ; or ; ) is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy (Piedmont and Aosta Valley) and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over , is the D ...
,
Gran Paradiso The Gran Paradiso () or Grand Paradis ( ) is a mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy, located between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. It is located in Gran Paradiso National Park. Etymology The Italian toponym ''Gran Paradiso'' deriv ...
and the
Matterhorn The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...
; its highest peak is
Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...
(). This makes it the highest region in Italy, according to the
list of Italian regions by highest point This is a list of Italian regions by highest point. In one case, two regions (Basilicata and Calabria) share the highest point ( Serra Dolcedorme), as it is located on their border. List Notes References See also * List of mountains of ...
.


Climate

The valleys, usually above , annually have a cold
continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...
(''Dfc''). In this climate, the snow season is very long, as long as 8 or 9 months at the highest points. During the summer,
mist Mist is a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in the cold air, usually by condensation. Physically, it is an example of a Dispersion (chemistry), dispersion. It is most commonly seen where water vapor in warm, moist air meets ...
occurs almost every day. These areas are the wettest in the western Alps. Temperatures in January are low, between , and in July are between . Areas between usually have a
tundra In physical geography, a tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: #Arctic, Arctic, Alpine tundra, Alpine, and #Antarctic ...
climate ( ET), where every month has an average temperature below . This climate may be either a kind of more severe cold oceanic climate, with a low summer average but mild winters, sometimes above , especially near lakes, or a more severe cold continental climate, with a very low winter average. Temperature averages in
Plateau Rosa The Theodul Glacier (also spelled ''Theodule Glacier''; , , ) is a glacier of the Alps, located south of Zermatt in the canton of Valais. It lies on the Switzerland, Swiss side of the Pennine Alps, although its upper basin touches the Italy, Ital ...
, at high, are in January and in July. It is the coldest place in Italy where the climate is verifiable. In the past, above , all months had an average temperature below freezing, with a perpetual frost climate (EF). In recent years, however, there has been a rise in temperatures. See, as an example, the data for Plateau Rosa.


History

Early inhabitants of the Aosta Valley were
Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...
and
Ligures The Ligures or Ligurians were an ancient people after whom Liguria, a region of present-day Northern Italy, north-western Italy, is named. Because of the strong Celts, Celtic influences on their language and culture, they were also known in anti ...
, whose
language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...
heritage remains in some local placenames. Rome conquered the region from the local
Salassi The Salassi or Salasses were a Gallic or Ligurian tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the Dora Baltea river, near present-day Aosta, Aosta Valley, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''dià Salassō̃n'' (δ ...
around 25 BC and founded ''Augusta Prætoria Salassorum'' (modern-day Aosta) to secure the strategic mountain passes, and they went on to build bridges and roads through the mountains. Thus, the name ''Valle d'Aosta'' literally means "Valley of Augustus". In 1031–1032,
Humbert I of Savoy Humbert I (; 9801047), better known as Humbert the White-Handed () or (), was the count of Savoy from 1032 until his death and the founder of the House of Savoy. Of obscure origins, his service to the Holy Roman Emperors Henry II and Conrad I ...
, the founder of the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
, received the title ''Count of Aosta'' from Emperor
Conrad II Conrad II (, – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdom ...
of the
Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
n line and built himself a commanding fortification at Bard. Saint
Anselm of Canterbury Anselm of Canterbury OSB (; 1033/4–1109), also known as (, ) after his birthplace and () after his monastery, was an Italian Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher, and theologian of the Catholic Church, who served as Archbishop of Canterb ...
was born in Aosta in 1033 or 1034. The region was divided among strongly fortified castles, and in 1191,
Thomas I of Savoy Thomas Ι (''Tommaso I''; 1178 – 1 March 1233) was Count of Savoy from 1189 to 1233. He is sometimes numbered "Thomas I" to distinguish him from his son of the same name. His long reign marked a decisive period in the history of Savoy. Biog ...
found it necessary to grant to the communes a ''Charte des franchises'' ("Charter of Liberties") which preserved autonomy—rights that were fiercely defended until 1770, when they were revoked to tie Aosta more closely to
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
, but which were again demanded during post-Napoleonic times. In the mid-13th century,
Emperor Frederick II Frederick II (, , , ; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusalem from 1225. He was the son of Emperor Henry VI of the Ho ...
made the County of Aosta a
duchy A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important differe ...
(see
Duke of Aosta Duke of Aosta (; ) was a title in the Italian nobility. It was established in the 13th century when Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, made the County of Aosta a duchy. The region was part of the Savoyard state and the title was granted to variou ...
), and its arms charged with a lion rampant were carried in the
Savoy Savoy (; )  is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...
arms until the reunification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exceptions of French occupations from 1539 to 1563, later in 1691, and then between 1704 and 1706. It was also ruled by the
First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...
between 1800 and 1814. During French rule, it was part of Aoste
arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissem ...
in Doire department.Almanach Impérial an bissextil MDCCCXII
pp. 392–393, accessed in Gallica 18 February 2015
As part of the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia, also referred to as the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica among other names, was a State (polity), country in Southern Europe from the late 13th until the mid-19th century, and from 1297 to 1768 for the Corsican part of ...
, it joined the new
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
in 1861. French forces briefly controlled the area at the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, but withdrew under British and American pressure. The region gained special autonomous status after the end of World War II; the province of Aosta ceased to exist in 1945.


Government and politics

For decades, the valley has been dominated by autonomist regional parties such as the
Valdostan Union The Valdostan Union (, UV), also Valdostian Union or Valdotanian Union, is a regionalist and centrist political party in Aosta Valley, Italy. It represents mainly the French-speaking minority in the region. One of its leading members, Renzo Te ...
, which represents the interests of the French-speaking population. The latest regional election was held in September 2020. On 2 March 2023,
Renzo Testolin Renzo Testolin (born 28 March 1968) is an Italian politician and accountant from the Valdostan Union party, current President of Aosta Valley. Testolin served as acting President of Aosta Valley following the resignation of Antonio Fosson. He ...
was elected regional president, supported by a coalition of autonomist and progressive lists. The Aosta Valley, being the smallest region of Italy by area, is not divided into provinces. Nevertheless, it is still divided into 74 comunes namely:


Demographics

The population density of Aosta Valley is by far the lowest of the Italian regions. In 2008, 38.9 inhabitants per km2 were registered in the region, whereas the average national figure was 198.8, though the region has extensive uninhabitable areas of mountain and glacier, with a substantial part of the population living in the central valley. Negative natural population growth since 1976 has been more than offset by immigration. The region has one of Italy's lowest
birth rate Birth rate, also known as natality, is the total number of live childbirth, human births per 1,000 population for a given period divided by the length of the period in years. The number of live births is normally taken from a universal registr ...
s, with a rising average age. This, too, is partly compensated by immigration, since most immigrants arriving in the region are younger people working in the tourist industry. Between 1991 and 2001, the population of Aosta Valley grew by 3.1%, which is the highest growth among the Italian regions. With a negative natural population growth, this is due exclusively to positive net migration. Between 2001 and 2011, the population of Aosta Valley grew by a further 7.07%. , the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) estimated that 4,976 foreign-born immigrants live in Aosta Valley, equal to 4.0% of the total regional population. The Valdôtain population and their language dialects have been the subject of some sociological research.


Economy

The economy of the Aosta Valley is based above all on the tertiary sector, in particular on tourism. Due to the autonomy conferred by the special statute, the public sector, which administers most of the regional financial resources, plays a role of primary importance in the Aosta Valley economy. The industries are concentrated in the lower valley (between
Verrès Verrès ( Valdôtain: ; töitschu ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consis ...
- Champdepraz and Pont-Saint-Martin) and are often small to medium sized. However, the contribution of agriculture and livestock to the regional economy is modest. Potatoes, apples, vines, barley are grown and cattle are raised. The artisanal production is significant, in which wooden sculpture emerges. Aosta Valley has many small and picturesque villages, three of them have been selected by (), a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities. These villages are: *
Bard In Celtic cultures, a bard is an oral repository and professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's a ...
* Fontainemore * Etroubles Notable wines include two white wines from
Morgex Morgex ( Valdôtain: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italia ...
(''Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle'' and ''Chaudelune''), a red wine blend from Arvier (''Enfer d'Arvier'') and one from
Gamay Gamay () is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire_Valley_(wine), Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as lon ...
. The Valle d'Aosta DOC (or Vallée d'Aoste DOC, in French) is an
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
''
denominazione di origine controllata The following four classification of wine, classifications of wine constitute the Italy, Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; 'designation of origin'); * ''Indicazione ...
'' located in the Aosta Valley of north-west
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. Surrounded by the
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
, the Valle d'Aosta is home to the highest
elevated An elevated railway or elevated train (also known as an el train or el for short) is a railway with the Track (rail transport), tracks above street level on a viaduct or other elevated structure (usually constructed from steel, cast iron, concre ...
vineyards in all of
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
. The principal
winemaking Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its Ethanol fermentation, fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over ...
region of the Valle d'Aosta is found along the eastern banks of the
Dora Baltea The Dora Baltea () or Doire Baltée () is a river in the Aosta Valley and in Piedmont, in northwestern Italy. It is a left-hand tributary of the Po and is about long. Name The river's Latin name was ''Duria maior'', ''Duria Baltica'' or ''Duri ...
( fr., ''Doire baltée'') river with the city of
Aosta Aosta ( , , ; ; , or ; or ) is the principal city of the Aosta Valley, a bilingual Regions of Italy, region in the Italy, Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the G ...
serving as the central winemaking location. The region is divided into three main vineyard areas; the upper valley,
Valdigne The Valdigne () is the upper part of the Aosta Valley in north-west Italy. It is traversed by the Dora Baltea (), a tributary of the Po. Description It extends from La Salle to Courmayeur, including the side valleys of Val Ferret, Val Veny an ...
, the central valley (locally ''Valle centrale'' in Italian, ''Vallée centrale'' in French) and the lower valley, (locally ''Bassa valle'' in Italian, ''Basse vallée'' in French).


Culture


Languages

The Aosta Valley was the first government authority to adopt Modern French as the official language in 1536, three years before France itself. Since 1946, Italian and French are the region's
official language An official language is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as, "the language or one of the languages that is accepted by a country's government, is taught in schools, used in the courts of law, etc." Depending on the decree, establishmen ...
s and are used for the regional government's acts and laws, though Italian is the most widespread mother tongue and thus is much more widely spoken in everyday life, while French is mostly spoken in cultural life. Education is conducted evenly in French and Italian, so that anyone who has gone to school in the Aosta Valley can speak both languages to at least a medium-high level. Legal decree No.365 of 11 November 1946 (art.2) states that it is mandatory to know both Italian and French to teach in Aosta Valley's schools. According to Aosta Valley's autonomous status (art.39), the same quantity of hours of French and Italian teaching must be held. The decree No.861 of the President of the Republic of 31 October 1975 (art.5) states that it is mandatory to pass a French exam to teach in Aosta Valley for Italian native speakers, as well an Italian exam for French native speakers. Italian law No.196 of 16 May 1978 states the adaptation rules of national educational programmes into French for Aosta Valley, and states as well that all members of the examination boards must be fluent both in Italian and French. Aosta Valley students must pass an extra test in French at the Secondary education final exam, similar to the first test (in Italian). The
regional language * A regional language is a language spoken in a region of a sovereign state, whether it be a small area, a federated state or province or some wider area. Internationally, for the purposes of the European Charter for Regional or Minority La ...
, known as '' patoué valdotèn'' or simply ''patoué'' (''patois valdôtain'' in French), is a dialectal variety of
Franco-Provençal Franco-Provençal (also Francoprovençal, Patois or Arpitan) is a Gallo-Romance languages, Gallo-Romance language that originated and is spoken in eastern France, western Switzerland, and northwestern Italy. Franco-Provençal has several di ...
. It is spoken as a
native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...
and
second language A second language (L2) is a language spoken in addition to one's first language (L1). A second language may be a neighbouring language, another language of the speaker's home country, or a foreign language. A speaker's dominant language, which ...
by 68,000 residents, or about 58% of the population according to a sociolinguistic survey carried out by the ''Fondation Émile Chanoux'' in 2001. The survey found that the Italian language was native to 77.29% of respondents, Franco-Provençal to 17.91%, and French to 1.25%, though the active use of these languages by the population shows French at 75.41% and Franco-Provençal at 55.77%. The population of Gressoney-Saint-Jean,
Gressoney-La-Trinité Gressoney-La-Trinité (; Gressoney or ''Greschòney Oberteil''; ) is a town or ''comune, commune'' and renowned alpine resort at the foot of Monte Rosa in the Lys (Dora Baltea), Lys Valley, which is part of the Aosta Valley region of Northwest It ...
and
Issime Issime (; Issime ; ; Valdôtain: (locally in ''patois gabençois'' )Obsolete. Recent works in German indicate the official French name only - cfLiederbuch von Gressoney und Issime and Peter Zürrer, ''Sprachkontakt in Walser Dialekten: Gressone ...
, in the Lys Valley, speak two dialects of
Walser German Walser German () and Walliser German (, locally ) are a group of Highest Alemannic dialects spoken in parts of Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Grisons), Italy (Piedmont, Aosta Valley), Liechtenstein (Triesenberg, Planken), and Austria (Vorarlberg ...
, Titsch and
Töitschu Walser German () and Walliser German (, locally ) are a group of Highest Alemannic dialects spoken in parts of Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Grisons), Italy (Piedmont, Aosta Valley), Liechtenstein (Triesenberg, Planken), and Austria (Vorarlberg) ...
respectively. According to the survey,
Walser German Walser German () and Walliser German (, locally ) are a group of Highest Alemannic dialects spoken in parts of Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Grisons), Italy (Piedmont, Aosta Valley), Liechtenstein (Triesenberg, Planken), and Austria (Vorarlberg ...
was spoken as a mother tongue by 207 people, or 17.78%, in these three villages. Nevertheless, it was known to 56.38% of the population.


Castles and fortresses

There are numerous medieval castles and fortified houses in the Aosta Valley, including
Châtel-Argent Châtel-Argent was an Italian medieval castle in the Alpine town of Villeneuve. It is now a ruin. As with many other castles in the region, Châtel-Argent overlooks the Dora Baltea () River which runs through the Aosta Valley. History Original ...
,
Saint-Pierre Castle Saint-Pierre Castle (, ) is a late 12th century castle located at Saint-Pierre in the Aosta Valley, Italy. Early history The first records of the castle date from the late 12th century and it is thought that is when the castle was first constr ...
,
Fénis Castle Fénis Castle (, ) is an Italian medieval castle located in the town of Fénis. It is one of the most famous castles in Aosta Valley, and for its architecture and its many towers and battlemented walls has become one of the major tourist attract ...
,
Issogne Castle Issogne Castle is a castle in Issogne, in lower Aosta Valley, in northwestern Italy. It is one of the most famous manors of the region, and is located on the right bank of the Dora Baltea at the centre of the inhabited area of Issogne. As a sei ...
, Bard Fort,
Ussel Castle Ussel may refer to: France * Ussel, Cantal * Ussel, Corrèze ** Ussel station Ussel is a railway station in Ussel, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Brive-Ussel and Limoges-Ussel railway lines. The line eastwards to Laq ...
,
Sarre Castle Sarre Castle (, ) is a castle located in Sarre, Aosta Valley, Sarre, Aosta Valley, Italy. History News of a fortified house or perhaps a simple tower guarding the territory dates back to the 13th century. There is evidence that in 1242, the b ...
,
Cly Castle Cly is a castle in the Italian municipality of Saint-Denis, in Aosta Valley, northwest Italy. It belongs to the so-called primitive style of castle, consisting of a keep with a surrounding wall. The ruins rise from a bed of metamorphic rock, on t ...
,
Verrès Castle Verrès Castle (, ) is a fortified 14th-century castle in Verrès, in the lower Aosta Valley, in north-western Italy. It has been called one of the most impressive buildings from the Middle Ages in the area. Built as a military fortress by Yblet ...
, and Châtelard Castle.Massetti, E
"Aosta Valley Castles"
n.d., accessed 15 March 2014.
Savoy Castle in Gressoney-Saint-Jean was conceived in the 19th century and completed in 1904. Since 1990, it has also been home to the Savoy Castle Alpine Botanical Garden. File:CastelloDiSaintPierreJuly312023 03.jpg, The
Saint-Pierre Castle Saint-Pierre Castle (, ) is a late 12th century castle located at Saint-Pierre in the Aosta Valley, Italy. Early history The first records of the castle date from the late 12th century and it is thought that is when the castle was first constr ...
File:A08.M01.ValDAosta03.jpg, The
Sarre Castle Sarre Castle (, ) is a castle located in Sarre, Aosta Valley, Sarre, Aosta Valley, Italy. History News of a fortified house or perhaps a simple tower guarding the territory dates back to the 13th century. There is evidence that in 1242, the b ...
File:CastelloDiVerresJuly292023 04.jpg, The
Verrès Castle Verrès Castle (, ) is a fortified 14th-century castle in Verrès, in the lower Aosta Valley, in north-western Italy. It has been called one of the most impressive buildings from the Middle Ages in the area. Built as a military fortress by Yblet ...
File:IssogneJuly292023 01.jpg, The
Issogne Castle Issogne Castle is a castle in Issogne, in lower Aosta Valley, in northwestern Italy. It is one of the most famous manors of the region, and is located on the right bank of the Dora Baltea at the centre of the inhabited area of Issogne. As a sei ...
File:Castello di Bard, infinito.jpg, The Bard Fort File:CastelloSavoiaAugust192023 01.jpg, The Savoy Castle File:CastelloDiAymavillesJuly312023 02.jpg, The File:Villeneuve Chatel Argent 01.jpg, The
Châtel-Argent Châtel-Argent was an Italian medieval castle in the Alpine town of Villeneuve. It is now a ruin. As with many other castles in the region, Châtel-Argent overlooks the Dora Baltea () River which runs through the Aosta Valley. History Original ...
Castle


Cuisine

The cuisine of Aosta Valley is characterized by simplicity and revolves around "robust" ingredients such as potatoes,
polenta Polenta (, ) is an Italian cuisine, Italian dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried or Grilling, grilled. The variety of cereal used is ...
; cheese and meat; and
rye bread Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat f ...
. Many of the dishes involve
Fontina Fontina ( French: ''fontine'') is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Italy. Over time, production of fontina has spread worldwide, including to the United States, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, France, and Argentina. Description Fontina is a chee ...
, a cheese with PDO status, made from cow's milk that originates from the valley. It is found in dishes such as the soup ''à la vâpeuleunèntse'' ( Valpelline Soup). Other cheeses made in the region are Tomme de Gressoney and Seras. Fromadzo ( Valdôtain for ''cheese'') has been produced locally since the 15th century and also has PDO status. Regional specialities, besides Fontina, are ''Motzetta'' (dried
chamois The chamois (; ) (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope native to the mountains in Southern Europe, from the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra Mountains, Tatra to the Carpa ...
meat),
Vallée d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad ''Vallée d’Aoste Lard d'Arnad'' is a variety of ''lardo'' (a curing (food preservation), cured pork product) produced exclusively within the municipal boundaries of the ''comune'' (municipality) of Arnad, in lower Aosta Valley, Italy. In 1996 ...
(a cured and brined
fatback Fatback is a layer of subcutaneous fat taken from under the skin of the back of a domestic pig, with or without the skin (referred to as pork rind). In cuisine Fatback is a preferred fat for various forms of charcuterie, particularly sau ...
product with PDO designation), Vallée d'Aoste Jambon de Bosses (a kind of
ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term '' ...
, likewise with PDO designation), a dark bread made with rye, and honey. Notable dishes include ''Carbonnade'', similar to the Belgian dish of the same name consisting of salt-cured beef cooked with onions and red wine served with polenta; breaded
veal Veal is the meat of Calf (animal), calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any List of cattle breeds, breed; however, most veal comes from young male calves of Dairy cattle, dairy b ...
cutlets called ''costolette''; ''teuteuns'', salt-cured cow's
udder An udder is an organ formed of two or four mammary glands on the females of dairy animals and ruminants such as cattle, goats, and sheep. An udder is equivalent to the breast in primates, elephantine pachyderms and other mammals. The udder is ...
that is cooked and sliced; and ''steak à la valdôtaine'', a steak with croûtons, ham and melted cheese.


Transport

The main road axes arise in the valley floor. They are the Aosta Valley state road 26 and the Autostrada A5 (
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
-
Aosta Aosta ( , , ; ; , or ; or ) is the principal city of the Aosta Valley, a bilingual Regions of Italy, region in the Italy, Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and the G ...
-
Mont Blanc Tunnel The Mont Blanc Tunnel (, ) is a highway tunnel between France and Italy, under Mont Blanc in the Alps. It links Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France with Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy, via the French Route Nationale 205 and the Italian Traforo T1 ...
). The
Mont Blanc Tunnel The Mont Blanc Tunnel (, ) is a highway tunnel between France and Italy, under Mont Blanc in the Alps. It links Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France with Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy, via the French Route Nationale 205 and the Italian Traforo T1 ...
connects
Courmayeur Courmayeur (; ; Valdôtain: ) is a town and ''comune'' in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley. History The toponym ''Courmayeur'' has been mentioned as ''Curia majori'' (1233–1381), ''Corte Maggiore'' (1620), ''Cormoyeu'' (1 ...
to
Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (; ; (no longer in use)), more commonly known simply as Chamonix (), is a communes of France, commune in the departments of France, department in the regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It was the site of the f ...
, France. The
Great Saint Bernard Pass The Great St Bernard Pass (, , ; ) is the third highest road pass in Switzerland, at an elevation of . It connects Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland with Aosta in the region Aosta Valley in Italy. It is the lowest pass lying on t ...
connects
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses (; Valdôtain: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Aosta Valley region of Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists ...
with
Martigny Martigny (; , ; ) is the capital city of the district of Martigny (district), Martigny, cantons of Switzerland, canton of Canton of Valais, Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants ( ...
in Switzerland, while the Little Saint Bernard Pass connects the
La Thuile LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...
valley with the
Isère Isère ( , ; ; , ) is a landlocked Departments of France, department in the southeastern French Regions of France, region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Named after the river Isère (river), Isère, it had a population of 1,271,166 in 2019.
valley and the municipality of
Bourg-Saint-Maurice Bourg-Saint-Maurice (; Arpitan: ''Bôrg-Sant-Mori'' or simply ''Le Bôrg''), popularly known as Bourg, is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Located on the Italian border south of Cha ...
, in France. The railway line is the
Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway The Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway is a railway line that links the regions of Piedmont and Aosta Valley in Italy. It was inaugurated from 1858 to 1886. The railway was operated by the Italian Armys Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment from 1915 to 19 ...
, currently undergoing modernization works, the railway service, therefore, will be carried out from January 2024 with replacement buses. The region's airport is the Aosta Valley Airport, in Saint-Christophe.


Gallery

File:Sito archeologico di Chenal 1120484.JPG, The prehistoric site near Chenal castle,
Montjovet Montjovet (; Valdôtain: ) is a ''comune'' in the lower Aosta Valley region of north-western Italy. Though it only has an area of 18.7 square kilometers, the commune has several villages and hamlets. The highest point is mont Lyan (2174 metres). ...
, rich in
petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...
s File:La Thuile-Rifugio Deffeyes 2.jpg, A view from refuge Albert Deffeyes,
La Thuile LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...
File:Capra ibex gran paradiso.jpg, Male Alpine Ibex in
Gran Paradiso National Park Gran Paradiso National Park (; ) is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park; it is contiguous with the French Vanois ...
File:Marmotta alpina (Marmota marmota).jpg,
Alpine marmot The alpine marmot (''Marmota marmota'') is a large ground-dwelling squirrel, from the genus of marmots. It is found in high numbers in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe, at heights between in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras and N ...
in
Gran Paradiso National Park Gran Paradiso National Park (; ) is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park; it is contiguous with the French Vanois ...


See also

* Alps-Mediterranean Euroregion * Arch of Augustus in Aosta *
Roman Catholic Diocese of Aosta The Diocese of Aosta (, , ) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church. It has existed in its modern form since 1817. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin in Italy.Elections in Aosta Valley This page gathers the results of elections in Politics of Aosta Valley, Aosta Valley. Regional elections Latest regional election List of previous regional elections *1949 Valdostan regional election *1954 Valdostan regional election *1959 Va ...
* Bard Fort – Museum of the Alps *
Gran Paradiso National Park Gran Paradiso National Park (; ) is an Italian national park in the Graian Alps, between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. The park is named after Gran Paradiso mountain, which is located in the park; it is contiguous with the French Vanois ...
*
List of presidents of Aosta Valley This is the list of presidents of Aosta Valley since 1946. ''SourceRegional Government of Aosta Valley – Governments since 1946' {{DEFAULTSORT:Presidents of Aosta Valley Politics of Aosta Valley Aosta Valley ...
*
Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...
*
Mont Blanc Tunnel The Mont Blanc Tunnel (, ) is a highway tunnel between France and Italy, under Mont Blanc in the Alps. It links Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France with Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy, via the French Route Nationale 205 and the Italian Traforo T1 ...
* Roman bridge Pont d'Aël * Refuge Grand Tournalin * Roman Theatre, Aosta * Lake Perrin


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * *


External links


Website of the Aosta Valley Regional Authority
(in Italian and French)
Official Tourism website
{{Authority control Autonomous regions of Italy Arpitania Provinces of Italy Regions of Italy Valleys of Italy Valleys of the Alps French-speaking countries and territories NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union Regions of Europe with multiple official languages Wine regions of Italy