Fiolet

A small ball, a bat, a big meadow: that is all you need to play fiolet. This traditional Aosta Valley striking game has a simple aim: send the ball as far as possible. It is one of the old farming games that people in the valley still play, like tsan.

Three objects, three names: the fiolet equipment

The kit comes down to three pieces, each with its own name:

• the fiolet, the egg-shaped ball that gives the game its name, now often made of metal or weighted wood;
• the pira, the small raised stand it sits on;
• the eima, the striking bat, which ends in a thicker part, the maciocca.

Two strikes of the stick: how the fiolet is launched

The player sets the fiolet on the pira and hits it twice. The first tap is light: it just makes the ball jump. The second is struck with all their strength, to send it flying. Everything depends on that quick, precise movement.

One point for every 15 metres of the field

The game is played on a flat field at least 150 metres long, marked every 15 metres. Each section the fiolet passes scores one point.

The Bâton d’or: the championship trophy

Championships bring together teams and individual players. The most prized individual trophy is the Bâton d’or, a carved eima. It never stays long with the same player, as it passes each year to the new winner.