Historical Carnival of the Coumba Freida of Bionaz

The first stop of the Coumba Freida

The Historical Carnival of the Coumba Freida of Bionaz is traditionally the first stop on the calendar of the valley's historical carnivals. "Coumba Freida" (Cold Valley) is the name of the territory between the Valpelline and the Great St Bernard valley, where every winter a series of municipalities celebrate with the famous Landzette. Bionaz, the highest municipality in Valpelline, kicks off the carnival season by animating its hamlets with the masked procession.

The Landzette and the memory of Napoleon

The Landzette of Bionaz have their faces covered by a mask, wear belts of bells and hold horsehair to ward off evil spirits. According to tradition, the costumes and masks re-enact in a grotesque key the passage of Napoleon and his army through the Great St Bernard Pass in May 1800: the bright clothes are said to be a caricature of the French soldiers' uniforms. Each element retains an ancient meaning — the bear announces spring, the mirrors repel evil, red protects from misfortune.

A community ritual among the hamlets

During the festival, the masks tour the village: they enter houses, dance in the streets and squares, and eat and drink what is offered to them. It is a ritual that celebrates the end of winter and renews the bond between fellow villagers, passed down from generation to generation. The community's participation is total, and the atmosphere, amidst music, bells, and colours, is that of a deeply authentic village festival.

A heritage of the Aosta Valley Region

The Carnival of the Coumba Freida is considered one of the most characteristic in the Aosta Valley Region and among the most unusual in the Alps. Bionaz, with its first stop in January, opens a calendar that unfolds over weeks among the municipalities of the valley.