Etroubles

Introduction

A mid-mountain village (around 1300m) located in the Great St Bernard Valley. It owes its notoriety to this pass, witnessed as far back as 1130: in a chronicle written by a monk, it is recounted how a group of pilgrims attempted to cross the pass in winter, with the help of local guides, but they all ended up swept away by an avalanche.

Description

This is the first evidence of what for centuries was an important source of income for the local population: the activity of marronnier, i.e. guide for travellers about to cross the Alps. This activity was officially recognised in 1273 by the then Count of Savoy, to whom a large part of the valley depended directly.
Among the historical peculiarities, this time much more recent, it should be noted that it was in Etroubles that the first Valle d'Aosta 'turnaria dairy' was introduced, in the 19th century, thanks to a cultural exchange with nearby Switzerland, where this system of associationism between dairy producers had long been in force. Cattle breeding was in fact the prevailing activity at the time, and still constitutes a non-negligible sector of the local economy, favoured by the presence of excellent quality pastures.
A medium-mountain village (around 1300m) located in the Great St Bernard valley. It owes its notoriety to this pass, witnessed as early as 1130: a chronicle written by a monk tells how a group of pilgrims attempted to cross the pass in winter, with the help of local guides, but they all ended up swept away by an avalanche. This is the first testimony of what for centuries was an important source of income for the local population: the activity of marronnier, i.e. guide for travellers about to cross the Alps. This activity was officially recognised in 1273 by the then Count of Savoy, to whom a large part of the valley depended directly. Among the historical particularities, this time much more recent, it is worth mentioning that it was in Etroubles that the first Valdostan 'turnaria dairy' was introduced, in the 19th century, thanks to a cultural exchange with nearby Switzerland, where this system of associationism between dairy producers had long been in force. Cattle breeding was in fact the prevailing activity at the time, and still constitutes a not insignificant sector of the local economy, favoured by the presence of excellent quality pastures. 

Information

Area: 39.13 sq. km
Altitude: 1270m
Maximum elevation: Mont Velan (3730m)
 Number of inhabitants: 491
Name in dialect: Étroble
Name in dialect: étroubleins
Patron Saint:
Internet site:
Webcam:
Neighbouring towns: Allein, Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Doues, Gignod, Ollomont, Saint-Oyen
 Villages and hamlets: Bezet, Chez-les-Blancs, Cerisey, Échevennoz, Éternod, La Collère, Lavanche, Pallais, Prailles, Vachéry, Véyaz
Alpeggiations: