Lajetto Carnival (Le Barbuire)

An alpine carnival with ancestral roots

The Lajetto Carnival is one of the most fascinating folk culture events in Piedmont. It takes place in the hamlet of the same name, a small cluster of stone houses perched on the mountain above Condove, in the Metropolitan City of Turin, deep in the Susa Valley. Here, far from the hustle and bustle of modern life, an ancient end-of-winter ritual survives, suspended between the sacred and the profane, where the community gathers to banish the cold and greet the arrival of the warmer season.

Origins and the revival of tradition

The precise origins of this carnival are lost in time; its pagan nature long prevented official documentation. The first reliable evidence dates back to the 1950s, through photographs and oral accounts from the hamlet's elders. Post-war depopulation of the mountains interrupted the practice, but since 2010, the tradition has been continuously revived thanks to the efforts of the Le Barbuire Cultural Association, which now organizes the event together with the Condove Pro Loco.

The Barbuire: traditional masks

The heart of the event lies in the Barbuire, traditional masks divided into two main families based on their behavior:

• The "beautiful" (belli): the Harlequins with their characteristic conical hats adorned with flowers and colored ribbons; the Doctor with his curved staff and medicine bag who "cures" the sick with wine or grappa; the Soldier in cavalry uniform; the Tòta (the elegant damsel); and the Monsù, representing bourgeois respectability.
• The "ugly" (brutti): the Pajasso, dressed in furs and stuffed with straw, with horns and cowbells, sporting a feral appearance; and the Old Men and Women, wearing tattered, mud-stained clothes, who roam the hamlet playing pranks and causing mischief.

The rooster ritual and welcoming Spring

The most evocative and symbolic moment is the rooster ritual: the masks attempt to decapitate a rooster hung from a tree branch, but only the Pajasso is authorized to perform the act, renewing the sacrifice and the hopes for a good season. It is an ancient propitiatory rite that marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring, with roots in pre-Christian alpine traditions. The procession then concludes with the Spring welcoming rite in a large meadow, accompanied by folk music.

An experience in the hamlet

Participating in the Lajetto Carnival means hiking up to the hamlet along the mountain trails of Condove and immersing yourself in a timeless atmosphere. Guided tours lead groups through the staged traditional scenes, while tastings of polenta and local products, mulled wine, and live music complete a day that celebrates the most authentic identity of the Susa Valley and the Piedmontese mountains.