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Book your Holiday
Historical carnival of Verrès
Resorts: Verrès
Lungo le vie del centro storico e nelle piazze del paese.
If you want to come to the carnival using public transports, see the link
Saturday 1st March 2025
- 8.30 pm - Presentation of Caterina di Challant, Pierre d’Introd LXXVI and the historical parade in Emile Chanoux square. Reading of the “Proclamation” and Caterina’s dance with the population.
The parade moves off by torchlight with the participation of the Verrès Philharmonic Orchestra. - 11.00 pm - Dancing evening in the Verrès Castle with the participation of the Châtelaine. Live music (Entrance € 15,00, drinks included).
Sunday 2nd March 2025
- From 11.00 am to 5.00 pm - Medieval entertainment in the village streets
- 2.00 pm - Presentation of Caterina di Challant, Pierre d’Introd LXXVI and the historical parade in E. Chanoux square. Reading of the ”Proclamation”, Caterina’s dance and parade in the village streets.
- From 3.30 pm – Musical entertainment for children at the castle. Kids: free entrance – Adults: € 5,00, drinks not included.
- 8.00 pm - Dinner at the castle. Reservation required at +39 351.7039763 or prenotazioni@carnevaleverres.it (price for the dinner €. 35,00 adults and €.18,00 children).
- 10.30pm – Dancing evening at the castle with DJ Set (Entrance 10,00€, drinks not included).
Monday 3rd March 2025
- 3.00 pm – In Bonomi Hall. Masquerade party for children with entertainment. Free entrance.
- 11.00pm - Gala evening at the castle: ball and shows. Evening dress is mandatory - Entrance 50,00€ (welcome flute of wine and mystery mask included).
- During the evening – In the ball hall live music, performances of dancers in ballroom dances in pairs, burlesque show upstairs. Theatrical representation “Una Partita a scacchi” by G. Giacosa.
Tuesday 4th March 2025
- 11.30 am – Parade of the historical group from Europa Square to Chanoux Square.
- from 12.00 pm – Distribution to the people of “polenta, saucisses et fisous”, in Emile Chanoux square. – minimum offer 5,00€
- 2.30pm – “Gran Corso di Gala” with the Châtelaine, Pierre d’Introd and the historical parade with folkloristic and masked groups, allegorical floats and musical bands.
- 10.30 pm - Masquerade closing ball at the castle, ball evening with DJ Set. Entrance 15,00€, drink included.
- 12.00 am - Awarding of the most beautiful mask and masked group.
Info
- How to get to the castle: a free shuttle service will connect Europa square to the castle car park; then follows a 10 minute uphill walk along a mule track. Transit and parking along the road to the castle is prohibited.
- A bar and buffet restaurant service is provided in the rooms of the castle.
- Access to the village to see the parade and animations is free; an entrance ticket is required for dancing evening at the castle.
Contact
The year was 1449 and Caterina di Challant and her consort Pierre d’Introd came down to Verrès, escorted by a handful of armed guards. After lunch with the Reverendo Pietro di Chissé, Provost of the Minster of Saint-Gilles, they made their way to the main square in front of the church. Everyone started dancing in time with the music, played on the fife and drum, and Caterina, leaving her consort’s side, started dancing with daring youths from the town. The people’s enthusiasm was at a peak and a unanimous cry went up: “Vive Introd et Madame de Challant”.
The echo of that joyful cry can still be heard today. Over 500 hundred years have gone by but not erased the memory of that feast day, and so every year, the whole population of Verrès eagerly awaits the celebration of Carnival time, with great enthusiasm. Playing the part of the nobles is a much sought-after role by all the townsfolk.
There is a full program and each year costume parades are proposed followed by a beautiful ball in the halls of the castle that overlooks the town. The Carnival reaches its climax every year when the main characters enter the town square.
At the end of this part of the event, the people listen intently to the town-crier, who declaims the “Proclamation of the Citizenry” in a “strange but comic” ancient language.
See also
Verrès
Castles and towers
Buy your tickets on-line
An inscription carved in Gothic characters states that Ibleto of Challant began …
Verrès
Churches and shrines