Gressoney-La-Trinité

Introduction

It is the municipality that closes the upper Lys valley, whose territory climbs up to some peaks of the Monte Rosa massif (Lyskamm 4527m). Once united with its almost namesake Gressoney-Saint-Jean, since 1767 it has constituted a separate municipality, while from a religious point of view, the separation of the two parishes had already been in place for about a century. 

Description

The main characteristic of the two Gressoney villages is that they are the heart of the Valle d'Aosta Walser community: a population of German origin that already in the Middle Ages colonised some Swiss valleys and the highest portions of today's Gressoney, Alagna and Macugnaga valleys (some other enclaves were in Val d'Ayas and in the municipality of Champdepraz). In addition to the traditionally agricultural economy, the control of various alpine passes, which at the time were easy to cross, was of particular interest to the population, who could boast a good standard of living thanks to trade. Testimony to this are the Swiss toponymy, which calls today's Gressoney valley the Krämertal (valley of the merchants), and the extraordinary richness of the typical female costume, still displayed today for the most solemn occasions.
 To the many tourists who flock to the ski resort (Monterosa ski, connected with Ayas and Alagna) and the numerous spectacular hiking and mountaineering itineraries, it seems as if they are outside Italy: in fact, one characteristic of the Walser populations is that they have preserved their original language, 'titsch', a variant of Alemannic, the most archaic of German dialects. A special article in the special statute of Valle d'Aosta guarantees the preservation of the Walser traditions and cultural heritage.