22/25 September , Chambave – Grape Festival – In this village halfway up the valley, they have been making wine for many centuries, including their famous moscato wine mentioned in certain 14th century documents. It is worth mentioning the “CrottedouBor”, a tour round the wine cellars of the town, which naturally includes a display of grapes inside large baskets, which may also be decorated artistically taking inspiration from the theme of wine-growing.
22 September, Valtournenche – La Désarpa (cows parade) – Just like a curtain falls on the scene, the Desarpa ideally closes the summer at the end of September; it is a custom that celebrates the return in the valley from the mountain pastures, where cows are brought to graze in the warmer months of the year.
The real and indisputable protagonist of the Desarpa is in fact the cow, which is carefully brushed and decorated with multi-coloured decorations to return to the valley. A real and proper parade accompanied by the sound of bells for the real star of the event, the Valdostane, red speckled cow.
1/2 October, Cogne – Devétéya é Féra de Cogne – Cows parade and fair – The “Devétéya” is the return of the herds down from their summer pastures to the valley. The cows parade through the streets of the village, decorated with flowers. The Fair of Cogne: a re-enactment of the ancient cattle fair, with typical local produce and crafts.
8/9 October, Antey-Saint-André – MeleVallée – Display and sale of apples – The event starts with the setting up of the apple market display in the delightful old centre of Antey: fruit, fruit trees and decorations, derivative produce (jellies, marmalades, juices, dried apples, vinegar, sauces, desserts, cider, calvados…) and the opportunity to discover, taste and buy… It continues with the tasty lunch prepared with apples followed by a full programme of entertainment and performances that round up with the tasty apple base snack and the prize being given for the best stand and for the photographic competition.
9 October, Bard – Marché au Fort – Food and wine event – The Marché au Fort is taking place once again in mid-October set in the charming medieval village of Bard, at the feet of the historic Fort. It is the most important and biggest food and wine event dedicated to tasting and selling traditional Valle d’Aosta products.
16 October, Pont-Saint-Martin – 17th Chestnut Festival in Ivery – Traditional chestnut festival held in a friendly, joyful atmosphere. Lunch served, featuring typical local produce. Chestnuts roasted and given out in the afternoon.
29/30 October, Chatillon – Honey and its by-products Festival – On the last weekend in October the village of Châtillon is turned into the Val d’Aosta honey capital and becomes home to this festival dedicated to honey and its various side products. The event attracts vast numbers of visitors every year and coincides with the prize-giving ceremony for the Val d’Aosta honey competition. The hall inside the former Hotel Londres acts, on the other hand, as the backdrop to a display of bee-keeping tools used over the years.
Until 13 November, Forte di Bard – Exhibition Marc Chagall La Vie – Marc Chagall. The way is the title of the exhibition to be held from June 25th until November 13th, 2016 in Fort of Bard, the main cultural centre of Valle d’Aosta Region. The exhibition is organized by Associazione Forte di Bard in partnership with Fondation Marguerite et AiméMaeght in Saint-Paul-de–Vence, Picasso Museum in Münster and Chagall Committee in Paris. The exhibition takes its name from the impressive oil on canvas created in 1964, owned by the Fondation Marguerite et AiméMaeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the main element of the whole exhibition and exceptionally loaned for the occasion.
Until 13 November, Forte di Bard – From June 11th to November 13th, 2016 Fort of Bard, the main cultural center of Aosta Valley, hosts the exhibition Elliott Erwitt – Retrospective. Organized by Fort of Bard in collaboration with Magnum Photos International Paris, the exhibition presents the world premiére of a new retrospective project belonging to Elliott Erwitt’s work, one of the great protagonists of nowadays photography.
Until 6 January 2017, Forte di Bard – Avengers: Age of Ultron. The exhibit. Fort Bard was chosen in 2014 to host part of the filming of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron – the epic movie produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios, becoming one of the movie icons.
The exhibition, open from May 29th 2016 to January 6th 2017, proposes an exciting journey through the off-stage. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is represented by original costumes and props. Unreleased backstage footage shot in the Aosta Valley set locations allows visitors to find out what happens on the set of a complex and futuristic movie production.
Megalithic area of Saint-Martin-de-Corléans – archaeological museum and park , Aosta – The area, brought to light in 1969, measures approximately one hectare, and is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Europe, offering a fascinating overview of significant moments stretching across almost 5000 years of history, from the late Stone Age up to the present.