Marta's Monterosa Blog

I am passionate about the Alps. They are my heart's home and the place where I would like to spend the last day of my life. I have been a tourist in the village of Champoluc in the Italian Monterosa for all my life and worked as a tourist operator in this area since more than 15 years.

I believe in respect for the special environment of this place that you can find only here. We all gain by enjoying its beauty, while trying to make a minimum impact at the same time. Leave it for our children in the future!

I believe in respect for people who live here with their traditions and culture, language, and work, their genuine products and delicious wines. They open their homes for us, tourists and meet us as their guests, if we are able to open our hearts for them. I have a friend who is a hotel owner and he says that when stressed people from the city come to his place, he tells them to sit down and take a drink before they even begin to worry if they have a room. Perhaps, we can bring a little of their kindness and calmness with us on our way back to the city.

My philosophy is to give back a little of what the mountains and the people from this place have given to me and to my family through my work, to communicate my philosophy and my passion to those who follow me on the blog, and in my trips as a tour operator.

If you would like to visit Champoluc, Gressoney, Alagna or other villages in the Aosta Valley, trek or ski in the Monterosa, discover Sardinia or other places we offer, contact us.

TheAlps at the 1015th Fiera di Saint’Orso in Donnas

Posted: Jan 22, 2015
Categories: News
Comments: 0

Guests at the fair in Donnas

TheAlps participated in the 1015th Fiera di Saint’Orso in Donnas, one of the oldest fair in Europe. Almost 500 exhibitors and over 10 000 guests enjoyed the beautiful weather in the Aosta Valley last weekend.

The Aosta Valley has a long tradition of woodcarving. The fair in Donnas was a good occasion to see it for yourself.

Canteen in Donnas during Fridays veilla

It started on Friday with so called “veillà”. The Franco-Provencal word indicates the long winter evenings spent with friends and family in… stables. It was a way of gathering together a small community. People could chat, play cards, and curve wood, spun wool and knit.

Nowadays, it is a part of the fair opening. In Donnas during Fridays veillà canteens and wine celeries, that are usually closed, are full of people tasting Italian specialities: fontina chees, polenta, air-dried ham, pastas with beans, and local wines. And everything accompanied by live music played by local groups.

Wood art at the fair in Donnas

On Saturday Donnas’ streets were filled by people that participated in the Torchlight procession dedicated to the artists craftsmen. Finally, the fair came on sunny Sunday with over 10 000 guests and 500 exhibitors.

The fair in Aosta will follow Fiera di Saint’Orso in Donnas, and it starts on Friday, the 30th January. 

Wood art at the fair in Donnas.

Fair in Donnas on Sunday

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