Historical Verrès Carnival

Representatives of the 16th century monarchy

Verrès carnival is one of the most popular in Aosta Valley, if for most people the carnival period is just like to have happy days during which to have fun, for the inhabitants of this small village is above all a question of prestige. Believe it or not many of those who participate in this event spend most of the year preparing for the next one and make it a matter of life or death.

The parade of the counts and courtiers

Perhaps this last statement is maybe a little exaggerated, but in this village with a double dialect, besides that of the Aosta Valley, it also involves strong Piedmontese influences, the attachment to this festival was born more than 500 years ago. The historical parade is inspired by events that took place in 1449, when Earl Caterina of Challand went down into the village to walk with her husband and then let go, dancing with the villagers.

The pipes and drums of Arnad

This unique and rare event has given way to this commemoration that has been handed down for centuries. The inhabitants are so inside by this historical fact that each edition come to pay thousands of euros to impersonate the earls and dress their clothes. There are numerous parties organized during this period, among which the masked evening at the castle stands out.

In the background the Verrès Castle that dominates the village

The parade lasted an hour and involves three laps of the village, which is structured as a sort of ring. Also this time I was for work reasons, I had been many years ago and I had also participated a year, at the time I was 11 years old. I remember a lot more people on the streets, but maybe it was just because I was a child, everything seemed bigger to me.

One of the many wagons participating in the parade

A small Verrès Castle wagon version

Sketch by @ran.koree

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