Carnival is a very heart-felt tradition held annually in the Coumba Freida (Cold Valley). As with all traditions, this event recalls a moment of subversion of order and renewal. The carnival characters known as Landzette adorn colourful costumes in memory of the uniforms worn by Napoleon’s 40,000 strong troops as they marched through the Great St Bernard Valley in 1800.
The Landzette wear masks that were made originally of wood, and carry horse tails. Their coloured velvet costumes are embellished with sequins, mirrors and bells – symbols used to ward off evil spirits and greet the coming spring in an explosion of sound and colours.