Beginning of Summer Bonfires in Valle d'Aosta

The most magical evenings of the year in Aosta Valley are in June, when the beginning of summer is celebrated with century-old rituals intended to bring good fortune, such as the harvesting of walnuts to make the local liqueur nocino, supposed to give strength in times of need.

During the nights of June the beginning of summer is celebrated with the promise of prosperity and wealth with singing and dancing around a bonfire, which according to ancient farming traditions were used to clean the fields and wake the earth while the fumes were meant to ward off evil spirits.

The tradition of bonfires in Valle d’Aosta has ancient origins. On the night of June 29 in correspondence with the celebrations of St. Peter and Paul, the area’s first inhabitants, according to a ritual of the celtic tribe of Salassi maintained throughout medieval times, lighted large bonfires on the main summits of Valle d’Aosta to ward of winter spirits and welcome the arrival of summer.

With the introduction of Christianity, the pagan celebrations of the beginning of summer were then coincided with the festival of St. John; now the nights of 23 and 24 June feature celebrations not to be missed. At the sound of the bells at the end of the religious celebration, the bonfires are lit in the various villages and local inhabitants of Gressoney dress up in Walswer traditional costumes, and carry statues of the patron saint in processions through the stress, celebrating with songs, dances and toasts.

The magical, unique atmosphere during the summer solstice at a cromlech, a group of megaliths dating back to the bronze age and discovered on the hillsides of Piccolo San Bernardo, is celebrated at 2188m altitude every June 21 at 19.30. The sun sets behind the hillside of Lancebranlette, a summit north-west of the horizon, casting shadows which little by little circle the cromlech, eventually lighting the centre of the circle with a diameter of 80 metres, marking the exact position of the sun on the day of the summer solstice. The phenomenon occurs just once a year, in an area rich with legends and magic, giving truly memorable experiences.