Batailles de Reines – Regional Final

A Tradition at the Heart of the Aosta Valley

The Batailles de Reines — literally "battles of the queens" — are much more than a competition: they are the most important traditional event in the Aosta Valley. The protagonists are cows of the Valdostana breed, which by natural instinct, at the beginning of the alpine grazing season, face each other to establish the herd's hierarchy. These are non-violent challenges: the animals confront each other by pushing until one of them retreats.

From Qualifiers to the Grand Final

The competition unfolds throughout the year with a calendar of qualifiers held in various municipalities of the region. The best cows qualify for the Regional Final at the Croix-Noire arena in Aosta, where the titles of queen are awarded in different weight categories. The overall winner becomes the reine des reines (queen of queens) for the year.

Much More Than a Race

The final is a true popular festival: around the arena, food stalls with typical Aosta Valley products come to life, along with musical performances and gatherings of breeders' communities, who come from all the valleys — and even from neighboring Switzerland. It is an occasion where Alpine peasant civilization proudly showcases its identity.

Organization and Roots

The event is organized by the Association Régionale Amis des Batailles de Reines, which manages the competition calendar throughout the Aosta Valley Region. This event intertwines agriculture, tradition, and tourism, and every autumn it draws thousands of enthusiasts to Aosta.