The Valley of Aoste or Valley of Aoste and Valley-in Aoste (in Italian Valle d' Aosta , in Francoprovençal Vâl d' Aoûta ) is a autonomous region of Italy, located at the North-West of the country. It corresponds to the high valley of the Doire Baltée. Administratively, it is next to in north the Canton of Were worth, in the west the Savoyard area the Rhone-Alps and the two departments, in the south and the east the area Piedmont.

It draws its name from its chief town, Aoste. Its inhabitants are called the “Valdôtains”.

With regard to the road traffic, the valley communicates with the France by the collar of the Small-Saint-Bernard and the Tunnel of Mont Blanc, like with the Suisse by the collar and the road tunnel of the Large-Saint-Bernard. It is served by the international airport of Turin and by the regional airport Corrado-Gex.

NB - The Valley of Aoste should not be confused with the Vallées Occitanes which are more in the south.

Political organization

Pursuant to the provisions of the constitutional law of the February 26th 1948, the Valley of Aoste constitutes a Autonomous region with special statute and recognizes two official languages, the Italian and the French (although the dialect spoken in the valley belongs to the Francoprovençal).

A District council made up of 35 advisers - who elects a Junte (an executive) whose 13th president was named in July 2003 - vote regional laws.

This council (2005) is composed of 18 representatives of the Union valdôtaine (center-left) and of 4 representatives of the Left valdôtaine (Left Democrats) who form the current majority. In the opposition, 3 members of Arcobaleno-Valley of Aoste (Greens), 7 members of Stella Alpina (divided since into two groups distinct advisers, one of 4 which kept this first name and one from 3 become Fédération Autonomista separatist-Federazione) and of 3 elected officials of the Maison of freedoms.

History

Old Roman colony, it then belonged to the Royaume of Burgundy, then States of Savoy before its integration in Italy, in 1860. It however formed part of the French Empire of 1800 with 1814, district of the department of the Doire.

Located a long time at the intersection of the military and commercial axes strategic between France, Switzerland and Italy, Aoste or “ Petite Rome of the Alps ” preserves important traces of its history like:

  • the necropolis of Saint-Martin-with-Corléans
  • the Triumphal arch of Auguste
  • Praetorian doors
  • an ancient theater able to accommodate 4.000 spectators.

The Valley of Aoste is also an old crossing point, via the Grand Saint-Bernard, for the pilgrims going to Rome. Saint-Rhémy-in-Bumps, Aoste and Bridge-Saint-Martin is three stages of the Via Francigena, mentioned for this reason by Sigéric, into 990.

The Valley of Aoste, a bilingual area

The Valley of Aoste knew a long linguistic co-education, especially since French asserted itself little by little as linguistic standard within the States of the Maison of Savoy whose Valley constituted a required passage. The major part of the territory is included in the field of phrase of the Francoprovençal, the French having been exclusively used for the written acts (official letters, writings, notarial acts…) and sermons.

The valley of the Lily, in extreme cases of the Piedmont, is however populated descendants of a German-speaking population, the walser. The inhabitants of this valley thus speak a dialect Alémanique similar to the Swiss “ tütsch ”, in the communes of Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-The-Trinity (where this dialect is called “ titsch ”) and in the commune of Issime (where it is called “ toitschu ”). The commune of Gaby, which is between that of Gressoney-Saint-Jean and that of Issime constitutes a small island francoprovençal, as well as the other communes of this valley (Fontainemore, Lillianes, and Perloz).

The Valley of Aoste, while becoming Italian (1860), loses, little by little, its French-speaking characteristic. Under the fascistic period of Benito Mussolini, it underwent an Italianization with excess.

For more information on the current statute of the French-speaking speakers in Valley of Aoste, to see the detailed article Francophonie in Valley of Aoste. In spite of a mode of broad autonomy, the French language continued to move back post-war period, mainly under the action of the media italophones. There exists, at present, no radio valdôtaine in frequency modulation of French language, and regional television diffuses only some rare programs in Francoprovençal. 92% of Valdôtains declared being of French native tongue in 1900, today this number would have fallen to less than 20%. However in the villages, the Franco-Provençal remains. It is to be noticed that in the years 1970 one easily found a newspaper French with Aoste it is not more the case in 2007, and that without the recognition of French under the Valdotaine constitution of 1948, that Ci would have quasi disappeared.

Historical chronology

  • towards 500 av. J. - C.: Occupation of the Valley of Aoste by the Celtic .

  • 25 av. J. - C.: the Salasses are overcome according to Strabon: 36000 are sold like slaves on the market of Eporedia (Ivrée). Foundation by Auguste of Augusta Praetoria (Aoste) which is populated with: 3000 Roman colonists.
  • 25.av. J.C - 443.ap. J.C: The Valley of Aoste belongs to the Roman Empire
  • 443 - 523: Occupation by the Burgondes
  • 523 - 550: Kingdom of the Ostrogoths of Théodoric Large the
  • 550 - 565: The Valley constitutes the transitory “kingdom” of Sisuald duke of the Hérules killed by the Byzantine general Narsès.
  • 565 - 569: Reconquest by the Byzantine Empire
  • 569 - 575: Domination of the kings Lombards.
  • 575 - 879: The Valley of Aoste is built-in the kingdom of the Francs then in Carolingian Western Empire.
    • between 794/811: Incorporation of the diocese of Aoste in the new ecclesiastical province of Tarentaise.
    • 863 : The diocese of Aoste turns over in the ecclesiastical province of Milan.
  • 879 - 1032: Kingdom of Boson then Kingdom of Burgundy.
  • 969 : The diocese of Aoste is definitively integrated into the province of Tarentaise.
  • 1024 - 1048: After the death of Rodolphe III of Burgundy, Humbert Ier of Savoy ancestor of the counts then dukes of Savoy which controlled Aoste since 1024 helps the emperor Conrad II Salic the to make sure the succession of late and in reward receives various alpine strongholds of which the Maurienne. During nearly thousand years until in 1946 the Valley of Aoste will remain in the inheritance of the Maison of Savoy.
    • 1033 - 1109: Holy Anselme abbot of the Nozzle-Hellouin, archbishop of Canterbury and Doctors of the Church is born in Aoste.
  • 1100 : With the Viscount Boson Ier the family of Challant becomes the principal feudal house and is at the origin of the construction of the principal castles of the Valley of Aoste.
  • 1103 - 1148: Amédée III of Savoy is the first to avoid title of Count of Savoy.
  • 1195 : “Large Charter of the Valdôtaines Franknesses” granted by the count Thomas Ier from Savoy.
  • 1232 : Chambéry becomes the capital of the Savoy.
  • 1259 : Thomas II of Savoy died to Chambéry the February 7th is buried in the cathedral of Aoste.
  • 1295 : September 24th the 7th Viscount of Aoste, Ébal de Challant says the Large one (death in 1323), gives up its Viscount with the profit of the Maison of Savoy.
  • 1416 : Amédée VIII of Savoy receives the title of Duke of the emperor Sigismond Ier of the Holy roman Empire.
  • 1418 : The Piedmont is definitively incorporated in the States of Savoy.
  • 1536 - 1559: Occupation of the Savoy by the French Armies of François Ier de France and of Henri II of France.
  • 1536 : February 29th the General meeting of the Three States at this meeting in Aoste under the presidency of the baillif Mathieu Lostan decides the maintenance of the Catholic religion and the respect of the pact of fidelity to the Maison of Savoy. Creation of the “Council of the Clerks” which joins together the political powers, administrative and legal and recognizes only the personal authority of the sovereign. The Council will however conclude with France several agreements of neutrality.
  • 1551 : Ratification by Charles III of Savoy of the institutions valdôtaines.
  • 1559 : Ratification of the Council of the Clerks by the new duke Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy (1528-1580).
  • 1561 : September 22nd the duke Emmanuel-Philibert declares French official language to replace the Latin for the western part of its duchy and the Valley of Aoste.
  • 1563 : Emmanuel-Philibert transfers its capital from Chambéry to Turin.
  • 1580 : Letter patent of Emmanuel-Philibert on the autonomous institutions of the Valley of Aoste.
  • 1588 : August 12th. Coming into effect of “Usual” or “general Habits of the duchy of Aoste” codes of more than 4.262 articles printed with Chambéry in 1586.
  • 1630 : An epidemic of plague kills the 2/3 of the population according to J-B of Tillier.
  • 1661 : Antoine Philibert Bailly (1605 - 1691) bishop of Aoste since 1659, publishes the “State Intramontain” Libelle inspiration gallicane.
  • 1691 : French occupation during the War of the league of Augsburg.
  • 1704 - 1706: New French occupation during the War of succession of Spain.
  • 1720 : Victor Amédée II of Savoy becomes king of Sardinia.
  • 1737 : Jean Baptist of Tillier, secretary of the States of the duchy of Savoy and the “Council of the Clerks” publishes a historical and geographical collection on the Valley of Aoste “the History of the Valley of Aoste”.
  • 1766 : Last meeting of the “Council of the Clerks” which does not meet any more and ceases “de facto” existing and “of swears” with dead last made judge.
  • 1767 - 1773: Establishment of the “Sardinian Land register” of the Valley of Aoste which makes an inventory of the taxpaying landowners.
  • 1770 : The king Charles-Emmanuel III of Savoy replaces the “Usual one” by a “particular Payment for the duchy of Aoste”. Royal policy of administrative centralization continued by his/her son Victor-Amédée III.
  • 1796 : Occupation of the Valley of Aoste by the revolutionary troops
  • 1798: The Valley of Aoste is annexed in France.
  • 1799 : First insurrection of Socques (poor peasants, Catholic and anti Jacobins).
  • 1801 : Second insurrection of Socques after “the removal of the bells”.
  • 1802 - 1814: Aoste becomes under prefecture of the department of the Doire
  • 1803: April 30th. Removal of the diocese of Aoste which is attached to that Ivrée.
  • 1814 : April 11th the Valley of Aoste is restored with the States of Savoy by the Treaty of Fontainebleau.
  • 1817 : Re-establishment of évêché of Aoste
  • 1853: 26,27 & December 28th; third insurrection of Socques.
  • 1860 : Savoy is attached to France what isolates the Valley from Aoste of its French-speaking environment.
  • 1861 : Creation of the Kingdom of Italy. The Valley of Aoste becomes a district of the province of Turin.
  • 1867 : From the April 29th an cholera epidemic leaves more than 2.000 dead including 439 people in Aoste.
  • 1890 - 1920: Strong economic emigration towards the France, the Swiss and the the United States according to certain estimates a third of the population emigrates, sometimes temporarily, on a total of: 80000 inhabitants.
  • 1915 - 1918: First World War: 1557 valdôtains are killed either 2% of the total population.
  • 1918 : The “Spanish Influenza” made: 1500 victims in the valley.
  • 1919 - 1920: Social disturbances of revolutionary inspiration.
  • 1922 - 1943: Fascistic era in Italy.
  • 1923 - 1939: Policy of Italianization carried out by the Fascistic state . The Italian establishment of “the interior” is favoured.
  • 1927 : Creation of “Provincia di Aosta”
  • 1929: The toponyms are Italianized. They will find their form of origin in 1945.
  • 1939 : Project of Italianization (not carried out) of: 20000 patronyms.
  • 1943 : Fall of the government Fasciste.
  • 1943 - 1945: Resistance movement against the Nazis and their fascistic allies of the Italian Social republic. The Valley of Aoste is released by the armed struggle.
  • 1945 : April 28th with the June 16th, presence of the French Army in the Valley of Aoste. Attempt at annexation by France. The French government moves back in front of the Anglo-American pressures.
  • 1945 : September 7th Provisional Mode of Autonomy
  • 1946: Referendum in favor of the Republic in Italy.
  • 1948 : February 26th the Valley of Aoste/Valle d' Aosta becomes an Autonomous region.

Geography

More than 1000 hamlets and 100 castles. The valley of Aoste is divided into 74 communes.

See also: Common of the valley of Aoste

List communes

See also: Contenu=Voir also the ''' [[Common of the valley of Aoste]], [[List of the communes of the valley of Aoste]] ''' and the ''' [[: Category: Commune of the valley of Aoste]], [[category of the Communes of the valley of Aoste]] '''.

Economy and tourism

See Leitartikel on the economy of the Valley of Aoste

Winter sports resort

Principal the winter sports resorts is Courmayeur with the foot of the Mont Blanc, Breuil-Cervinia, close to the Cervin, Gressoney-The-Trinity with the foot of the Mont Pink and Cogne in the solid mass of the Grand Paradise. The out-track field is exceptional and the practice of the Héliski attract slide blocks of all Europe.

Agrotourisme

The valleys of the Valley of Aoste gather a thousand of hamlets and a hundred castles which are shelled along the valleys, and of which most famous: Fénis, Glasses, Saint-Pierre), is well preserved.

The valley is a high-place of the Randonnée, and the required passage of those which make the Tour of Mont Blanc; they profit from a vast network of opened refuges, be like winter, on the initiative of the “Italian Alpine Club”.

Since 1983, the agrotourism is under development with about fifty farmers opening their doors with the holiday makers. The services offered go from the simple room to the detached house very equipped.

Hotel trade

The valley counts more than 500 small hotels from 3 to 4 stars, often of the businesses of families.

Opened in 1947, the “Large Billia Hotel” of Saint Vincent includes/understands one of the most modern casinos of Europe (90 tables of plays and nearly 500 gangsters penguins), a center of congress and a theater, accommodating cultural meetings and in particular the Grolles d' Or, price of the cinema of Italian television.

Hydrotherapy

The thermal springs in Valley of Aoste were redécouvertes at the 18th century (they were already known Romans). With the Beautiful time, they attracted very many personalities.

Cook valdôtaine

Sources

  • Abbot Joseph-Marie Henry, History of the Valley of Aoste . Printing works Marguerettaz Aoste (1929) republication in 1967.

  • Elio Riccarand, Storia della Valle d' Aosta contemporanea (1919-1945) . Pens Aosta (2000)

External bonds

  • Official site of the Valley of Aoste

  • the Council of the Valley - District council
  • Site on the languages in Valley of Aoste
  • Information on secondary education valdôtain
  • Lodgings

Simple: Valle d' Aosta

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