The night between the 30 and 31 January, on occasion of the traditional Sant’Orso Fair, in Aosta, is the night of the"Veillà", a French-Provencal term, now indicative of an atmospheric evening festival. It is an invitation to the festivaland to the gathering, along the streets of the historic centre, of Val d'Aosta poets so highly acclaimed in literary collections. Despite thelow temperatures, typical of "giorni della merla" ("the days of the blackbird", traditionally the last three days of January), the streets packed: thousands of people take part in the traditional"giro delle crotte", passing from one "crotta" to another, "crotte" being the characteristic wine-cellars of the historic centre, opened for this occasion alone, where just one glass ofmulled wine is sufficient to heat you up... . The "crotta" meeting point has always played an important part in Val d'Aosta traditionand is associated with food and wine products; wine, cheese, salami products, but, above all, with the opportunity for spending time together. Our ancestors spendmany an hour next to the fireplace or in the stable,their lives had less distractions and they knew everything there was to know about each other. In those days, walking through the streets, you would have come across: the cobbler, busy making "sabot" (clogs), the townspeople threshing the wheat, shepherds shearing the sheep, womenbusy spinning wooland groups of people singing or narrating tales; chimney-sweepers would oftenbe seen, busy on the loess roofs.

The Veillà held in Valtournenche is, instead,, held, on the streets of the village of Cretaz; here, volunteers proposemanyancientprofessions. Veillàare also held in La Magdeleine, Saint-Nicolas (Fossaz e Vens), Morgex and Challand-Saint-Victor.