Arts and crafts Aosta Valley

Since 1985, IVAT (Valle d'Aosta Institute of Handicrafts and Traditions) has been the institution that keeps alive the centuries-old culture of regional craftsmanship in all its forms. Its objective is to enhance and protect this sector. To this end, the Institute runs several shops where it is possible to discover the rich local production (cutlery, grolle or friendship cups, shoes, clothes, sculptures, fabrics, wrought iron, leather, etc.), including the one in Piazza Chanoux d'Aosta, a historical shop of craftsmanship for centuries.

In the Cognein hamlet of Saint-Pierre, this hardware store specializes in the production of wooden crafts. Its signature is, of course, the famous grolla: a kind of wine flute in precious wood, with lid, supported by a short stem set on a broad base. Lower, more rustic and rounder, another version is called the friendship cup. It is passed around during festivities, filled with a traditional mixture of brandy, coffee, sugar, genepi and orange peel.