EFFEPI Competition on the Local Culture of the Franco-Provençal Valleys

A festival for the schools of the Franco-Provençal valleys

The EFFEPI Competition on the Local Culture of the Franco-Provençal Valleys is one of the most deep-rooted and identity-defining events in the Piedmontese Alpine region. Organized by the EFFEPI - Studi e Ricerche Francoprovenzali association, founded in 1980 and based in Molino di Forzo in the Soana Valley, the competition involves schools from the valleys where Franco-Provençal, one of Italy's historical linguistic minorities, is still spoken.

The valleys involved

The project spans a vast territory within the Metropolitan City of Turin and Piedmont: Val Sangone, the middle and lower Susa Valley, Val Cenischia, Viù Valley, Ala Valley, Val Grande, Locana Valley, and Soana Valley, covering a population of approximately 68,000. Each school year, students from kindergarten to the first years of secondary school work in class on a common theme related to the traditions, language, and culture of their mountains.

The 2026 final event in Mezzenile

The final day of the competition is the heart of the initiative: the projects created by the classes are exhibited and awarded, and students perform songs, dances, and short plays in patois. In 2026, the final event returns to the Municipality of Mezzenile in the Valli di Lanzo after an absence of over twenty-five years: a return of great symbolic value for the local community.

The 2026 theme: games of the past

The theme chosen for this edition is "Djeu e dësmorë - Games and toys of the past and present", a topic that has allowed children to compare traditional valley pastimes with contemporary ones, rediscovering objects, nursery rhymes, and customs of mountain life.

A project for the minority language

Through this competition, EFFEPI has been carrying out invaluable work for decades to transmit the Franco-Provençal language to new generations, in collaboration with local municipalities, Pro Loco associations, and schools. The Mezzenile event is organized in partnership with the local Municipality and the Pro Loco, confirming the strong bond between the association and the communities of the Piedmontese valleys.