Experience the magic of winter in the Valle di Gran San Bernardo. Join Rachael Martin at the vibrant Coumba Freida Carnival in the Aosta Valley, and explore the snow-covered slopes of the Great St Bernard Pass.
It was carnival time on a cold February morning in the Great St Bernard Valley in northern Italy’s Aosta Valley region. Rachael Martin had arrived just in time for the Coumba Freida Carnival, and to take advantage of the heavy snow to explore the region’s ancient customs and breathtaking winter landscapes.
The carnival is celebrated in all the villages and towns in the valley, from Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses down to Aosta. Of the many options available, she chose to stay in a tiny hamlet just above Étroubles. Here’s a look back over her stay.
Words by Rachael Martin.
Winter carnival in San Bernardo’s “cold valley”
The carnival is known in the local Franco-Provençal dialect as the carnival of the Coumba freida, or the ‘cold valley’. This refers to the icy winds that blow down to Aosta from the Great St Bernard Pass that crosses the mountains at 2,473 metres above sea level.
This was where Napoleon crossed with his soldiers to take Italy back from the Austrians in May 1800, a moment immortalised in Jacques- Louis David’s painting of 1801. The costumes and hats worn at the carnival are reminiscent of these soldiers. They also wear wooden masks, or landzette, to represent the various figures involved in the carnival.
There’s the bear and his tamer, the devil, Napoleon himself, and the village inhabitants brandishing horsetails made out of horse hair to ward off evil spirits. The brightly coloured, hand-made costumes are lavishly decorated with thousands of pearls and sequins. They also feature flowers to anticipate the beginning of spring, and mirrors to reflect the light and keep evil away.
According to legend, the costumes date back to the wedding of an older couple, represented at the carnival by the Toque and the Tocca. The fact that the couple were advanced in age was felt to be embarrassing by everyone, so instead of wearing their Sunday best, the people of the village wore costumes and masks.
A festive winter atmosphere
Over the course of the carnival, participants visit each village in the Great St Bernard Valley, including those up on the mountainside, stopping to eat, drink, dance and play music as they go. At only 10 o’clock in the morning, a festive atmosphere was already under way.
Local produce – including ham, salami, cheese and bean stews – cover a long table. The bear, a symbol of fertility, had just come out of hibernation. He was going round giving ‘bear hugs’ to whoever he could grab. Others chased each other with their horsetails, though the devil was still doing the rounds with his devil’s fork.
They say that things can get rowdy; that in the past, the carnival was when vendettas were settled behind the relative anonymity offered by a mask. But that was not my experience. The mountains surrounding us framed a scene that felt almost magical to me.
For most of us, the mountains involve Sunday trekking and the odd long weekend or skiing holiday. For others, it’s a way of life complete with the customs and traditions that define that way of life and preserve its identity. And when the festivities have ended and everyone has gone home, this is a place where the stars shine so brightly at night in the darkest of skies that you’ll just want to sit and gaze and take it all in.
Exploring the Valle di Gran San Bernardo winter mountains
Mountaineering and skiiing are popular activities in the Aosta Valley, and its Alpine guides come from a long and prestigious tradition. During my visit, I met with the mayor of Saint-Rhèmy-en-Bosses, Corrado Jordan. He shared his passion for the tourist opportunities and activities that the area offers.
“The mountains of the Great St Bernard Valley are very beautiful and accessible to all,” he told me. “They offer skiing in uncontaminated nature where the whiteness of the snow makes everything so magical as you pass through woods, climb up a slope and get closer to the pass. Then you reach the summit of a mountain, almost touch the sky, and you feel lighter, free, and so small in front of so much immensity.
“Going to the mountains, especially high mountains, is amazing but you need to learn to know them and respect them. Mountains can be severe and sometimes ruthless. Weather conditions can change very quickly and you need to be ready for this. You really should go with a mountain professional such as a ski teacher or a guide, and if you’re thinking of going off on the glaciers or some of the more demanding trails, then this is essential.”
Local food specialties in the Valle di Gran San Bernardo
Polenta and winter stews feature highly in the Valle di Gran San Bernardo. Locals also serve zuppa valpellinese, a dish made from cabbage, meat broth, and stale bread, topped with local Fontina cheese. Head to Bar Ristorante Arp du Jeu at the Crévacol ski area for a taste of local cooking by the piste. They can also arrange for you to ride back down on a snowmobile.
Prosciutteria Sous le Pont de Bosses is the characteristic café-restaurant with its wood panelling interiors at the local garage that is – just as its name says – under the bridge. You can eat the Jambon de Bosses PDO in its restaurant and buy it in the deli next door. The restaurant’s bourguignonne and fonduta, or cheese fondue is also well-known. We tried the bourguignonne accompanied by various sauces, pickled vegetables and home-made chips.
Other local cured meats you should try include the local lardo, cured salumi with mountain herbs, and motzetta, which is dried chamois meat. Fontina is the local cheese. To drink, try the grolla dell’amicizia (goblet of friendship), made with coffee, grappa, sugar and lemon and orange peel. It’s passed round at the end of a meal, each person taking a sip as a sign of friendship.
If you want to experience winter in San Bernardo, you’ll need this Valle di Gran San Bernardo travel guide
Written by Rachael Martin for Italia! #182 (Jan 2020)