The Croix-Noire arena
Queen fights and rock concerts on the edge of Aosta
On the border between Aosta and Saint-Christophe, a large oval arena welcomes two crowds that seem worlds apart. Some come to watch cows lock horns. Others come to hear Bob Dylan or Zucchero. This is the Croix-Noire Arena, opened in 1987.
The final of the Battles of the Queens
Every autumn, the regional final of the Battles of the Queens is held here. The “queens” are cows of the Aosta Valley breed. The season’s best come to compete for the title in front of thousands of spectators. For breeders, it is the big event of the year.
Bob Dylan, Vasco Rossi, Zucchero
The arena is also an open-air concert venue. Bob Dylan was the first to play here, in 1992. Vasco Rossi launched his tour here in 1996. After a long break, concerts returned in 2011 with Zucchero. In 2012, Lenny Kravitz and J-Ax played for the Aoste Sound Fest.
A 105-metre ellipse with 4,000 seats
The arena forms an ellipse 105 metres by 70. It has 4,000 seats. With the central field open, it can hold up to 8,000 people, depending on the layout.
Two worlds, one place: queens and concerts
Queen-fight fans find a rural tradition here. Others come for the music. So the arena serves, in turn, the valley’s farming life and big shows.
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