Chantar l'Uvèrn — Occitan Cultural Gathering
The gathering for Occitan language and culture in Pragelato, in the upper Val Chisone
About Chantar l'Uvèrn
A gathering for the Occitan language in the Cottian Alps
In the municipality of Pragelato, in the upper Val Chisone within the Metropolitan City of Turin, the Occitan cultural gathering takes place every winter as the heart of the Chantar l'Uvèrn festival. For two days, the headquarters of the Val Troncea Natural Park becomes a meeting point for young researchers, scholars, and cultural activists arriving from across the entire Occitan territory—from the Pyrenees to the Piedmontese Alps—to discuss the future of a still-vibrant minority language.
Language, music, and tradition
The event weaves together three dimensions: research, with a scientific conference dedicated to Occitan, its variants, and the linguistic policies protected by Law 482/99 on minorities; music, with a dance concert showcasing the traditional sounds and dances of the valleys; and cross-border dialogue, with a round table bringing together Italian and French stakeholders committed to promoting Occitan culture. It is this blend that makes the Pragelato event more than just an academic conference.
Inside the Chantar l'Uvèrn festival
The Pragelato gathering is part of the broader Chantar l'Uvèrn festival, which runs from Candlemas to May 1st, enlivening dozens of municipalities across the Susa, Chisone, Sangone, and Germanasca valleys with over seventy events, including performances, conferences, book presentations, films, and language workshops. The festival is promoted by the Management Body of the Cottian Alps Protected Areas in collaboration with the Chambra d'Òc association, and is dedicated to safeguarding the Occitan, Franco-Provençal, and French minority languages spoken in this corner of Piedmont.
Why it's worth attending
- Discover a minority language still alive in the public life of the alpine valleys.
- Attend a concert of traditional Occitan music and dance.
- Visit the Museum of Costume and Alpine Peoples in the Rivets hamlet of Pragelato.
- Spend two days immersed in the mountains of the Val Troncea Natural Park.
For those who love cultural tourism and alpine traditions, this is an authentic opportunity to experience the Occitan identity of the Province of Turin firsthand.
Chantar l'Uvèrn — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Pragelato Occitan gathering focused on the theme "La jòi e lo jovent" (joy and youth): scenarios for the future of Occitania through the cultural action of today's youth. Two days at the Val Troncea Natural Park headquarters, with free admission, featured a mix of scientific sessions, a dance concert, and a cross-border round table, confirming Pragelato as a key hub for the winter festival dedicated to the minority languages of the Occitan Piedmont.
Programme Chantar l'Uvèrn 2026
Saturday, March 7
- 15:00–17:00 — Conference La jòi e lo jovent: scenarios for the future of Occitania, a meeting between young Occitanists and researchers. Topics: the use of Occitan under Law 482/99 (Chambra d'Òc); Aisonenc, ethnolinguistic dictionary of Aisone in the Stura Valley (Andrea Celauro); Occitan courses at the University of Turin (Aline Pons); phonology of Upper Vivarais Occitan (Quentin Garnier); faith, identity, and mountains in the Waldensian context (Emilien Sallard); Gascon, Languedoc, and Alpine variants (Quentin Peyras); linguistic variations in the Cuneo area (Agnès Garrone); Occitanist activism today (Alice Champollion). Moderator: Matteo Rivoira (University of Turin); opening remarks by Eliana Tourtet (I.E.O.).
- 21:00 — At Casa Pragelato, dance concert by the group Uch, using traditional music and dance as a tool for linguistic transmission.
Sunday, March 8
- Morning — Visit to the Museum of Costume and Alpine Peoples in the Rivets hamlet of Pragelato.
- 10:30–12:00 — Round table on the supranational coordination of Occitan cultural activism between Italy and France.
Highlights Chantar l'Uvèrn 2026
Prices Chantar l'Uvèrn 2026
Practical information — Chantar l'Uvèrn
Location
Headquarters of the Val Troncea Natural Park, Via della Pineta 4, 10060 Pragelato (TO), in the upper Val Chisone. The evening concert is held at Casa Pragelato; the Sunday visit to the Museum of Costume and Alpine Peoples takes place in the Rivets hamlet.
Getting there
By car from Turin: take the ring road and the SS23 del Sestriere towards Pinerolo–Sestriere, approximately 90 km. The nearest train station is Oulx–Cesana–Claviere–Sestriere, connected to Pragelato by local bus services.
Admission
Admission to conferences and meetings is free.
Information
Full program available on the websites of the Cottian Alps Parks Authority and Chambra d'Òc.
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Where does it take place — Chantar l'Uvèrn
Sede del Parco Naturale della Val Troncea
Via della Pineta 4, 10060 Pragelato