Ayas clogs and Gressoney socks

In the valleys of the Aosta Valley, people wore whatever they had to hand: wood, old clothes. Two traditions have remained very much alive: the clogs of the Ayas valley and the cloth slippers of the Lys valley.

The clogs of the upper Ayas valley

The clogs are made entirely of wood. They cost little and kept the foot warm and dry. They suited winter and mud. In Franco-Provençal they are called “tsoquè”. According to the Region, they are the characteristic feature of the crafts of the upper Ayas valley. Clog-making was a trade that let people work through the long winter months.

An exhibition in Antagnod

According to the Region (2009), the cooperative “Li Tsacolé d’Ayas”, with the municipality of Ayas and IVAT, set up a permanent exhibition in the historic centre of Antagnod. Demonstrations of the traditional technique were offered there in summer. Opening hours may change, so it is best to check locally.

Socks and pioun of the Lys valley

In the Lys valley, people wear cloth slippers. They are called “sock” in Walser and “pioun” in Franco-Provençal. The first written mentions date from the 19th century. In the past they were sewn from worn clothes and even worn in the fields. For festivals, people chose colourful fabrics, embroidered for women.

A quilted cloth sole

Today the socks are made of thick wool or cloth, such as that of the Tisserands de Valgrisenche. The sole is made of several layers of quilted fabric. The direction of the stitching, vertical or horizontal, varies from village to village. They are made for men, women and children. In 2009 the Region mentioned the cooperative “D’Socka” in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, which displayed and sold them.

Sources: Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley – Lavorazioni tradizionali, Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley – Les objets caractéristiques.