Fiolet
Two strokes of the stick, and the distance is counted in 15-metre sections
Fiolet is a striking game played in the Aosta Valley. The aim is simple: to hit a small ball as far as possible with a stick.
Three objects, three names
The game needs little equipment. Each piece has a local name.
- The fiolet is the ball that gives the game its name. It is ovoid, rather like an egg. Today it is often made of metal or of weighted wood.
- The pira is the raised stand on which the fiolet is placed.
- The eima is the striking stick. It ends in a thicker part, the maciocca.
A two-stage stroke
The player places the fiolet on the pira. He then strikes it twice with the eima. The first stroke is light: it only makes the ball jump. The second is struck as hard as possible, to send the fiolet far away.
A point every 15 metres
The game is played on flat ground at least 150 metres long. Marks are drawn on it every 15 metres. Each 15-metre section the fiolet crosses scores a point.
The Golden Stick
Championships are held, for teams and for individuals. The most coveted individual trophy is called the Bâton d’or (Golden Stick). It is a carved eima. It does not stay with its winner: every year it passes to the new champion.
