Historical Carnival of the Coumba Freida — Valpelline

A unique carnival in the Alps

The Historical Carnival of the Coumba Freida is one of the most characteristic and identity-rich traditions of the Aosta Valley. It takes place between January and mid-February in the municipalities of the Coumba Freida (the "cold valley"), the area encompassing the Gran San Bernardo valley and the Valpelline valley. In Valpelline, in the province of Aosta, the carnival is a deeply felt event by the community.

The landzette and the Napoleonic legend

The absolute protagonists are the landzette, masks with vibrant and richly decorated costumes. According to tradition, their outfits and headdresses are an allegorical representation of the uniforms of Napoleon's French soldiers, who crossed the Gran San Bernardo Pass in May 1800 during the Italian campaign. The landzette wear belts of bells and horsehair to ward off hostile spirits: every element of the costume has symbolic meaning. Small mirrors are sewn onto the costumes to repel evil spirits, and the dominant red color signifies strength and protection against misfortune. Alongside the landzette, other traditional figures appear, such as the bear, a symbol of the arrival of spring, and mule tails, which ward off harmful winds.

From house to house, between dances and ancient rites

The Coumba Freida carnival is not just a parade: the masks enter homes, dance in the streets, and receive food and drinks from the inhabitants, keeping alive a centuries-old community ritual. In Valpelline, the masked procession gathers in the morning and travels through the hamlets of the municipality — from Chozod to Thoules and Semon, up to the main town and Chez-Les-Chuc — concluding the day with the masked dinner. It is an authentic experience that allows you to discover the Alpine culture of the Aosta Valley in its most vibrant form.