Val Chisone
Encyclopedia
The Val Chisone is one of the Occitan valleys
of western Piedmont
, situated in the Cottian Alps
of north-west Italy
.
and Sestriere
. It is bounded by the Val di Susa (to which it is connected by the Sestriere
Pass, at 2,035 m) to the north and east, the Val Sangone to the north, the Val Pellice to the south, while eastwards is the plain of the Po Valley.
The valley is crossed by the torrent from which it takes its name, the Chisone
. The valley has a main branch, the Valle Germanasca
.
and the Kingdom of France
. The upper valley (Val Pragelato
) was part of the French] Dauphiné
, while the lower valley (Val Perosa) was under Savoyard control. In 1631, the right shore of the Val Perosa was ceded to Louis XIII of France
, returning under Savoy by the Peace of Turin (1696).
The upper Val Chisone was part of the semi-independent French state of the Escartons Republic from 1343-1713. Pragelato was one of the five cantons. The Republic was annexed to Savoy in 1713.
The valley, together with Val Pellice, is home to a large Waldensian community.
Occitan Valleys
The Occitan Valleys are the part of Occitania which is situated within the borders of Italy.It is a mountainous territory, situated in the southern Alps: most of its valleys are oriented eastward and descend toward the plains of Piedmont.The population is estimated at inhabitants.Main towns are...
of western Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, situated in the Cottian Alps
Cottian Alps
The Cottian Alps are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between France and Italy...
of north-west Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Geography
Traditionally, the valley's entrances are considered the towns of PineroloPinerolo
Pinerolo is a town and comune in north-western Italy, 40 kilometres southwest of Turin on the river Chisone.-History:In the Middle Ages, the town of Pinerolo was one of the main crossroads in Italy, and was therefore one of the principal fortresses of the dukes of Savoy. Its military importance...
and Sestriere
Sestriere
Sestriere is an alpine village in Italy, a comune of the Province of Turin. It is from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin....
. It is bounded by the Val di Susa (to which it is connected by the Sestriere
Sestriere
Sestriere is an alpine village in Italy, a comune of the Province of Turin. It is from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin....
Pass, at 2,035 m) to the north and east, the Val Sangone to the north, the Val Pellice to the south, while eastwards is the plain of the Po Valley.
The valley is crossed by the torrent from which it takes its name, the Chisone
Chisone
The Chisone is a 50 km Italian torrent, which runs through Pragelato, Fenestrelle, Perosa Argentina and Pinerolo in the Province of Turin. It is a tributary of the Pellice, which in turn is a tributary of the Po River...
. The valley has a main branch, the Valle Germanasca
Valle Germanasca
thumb|240px|View of the valley.The Valle Germanasca is a valley in the province of Turin, Piedmont, north-western Italy run by the Germanasca stream, a right affluent of the Chisone....
.
History
For centuries the Val Chisone was an object of contention between the Duchy of SavoyDuchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
and the Kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
. The upper valley (Val Pragelato
Pragelato
Pragelato is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km west of Turin, in the upper Val Chisone. The name Pragelato, meaning ‘icy meadow’, has been derived from the harsh climate and the fact that the ground is covered with ice for long periods...
) was part of the French] Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
, while the lower valley (Val Perosa) was under Savoyard control. In 1631, the right shore of the Val Perosa was ceded to Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
, returning under Savoy by the Peace of Turin (1696).
The upper Val Chisone was part of the semi-independent French state of the Escartons Republic from 1343-1713. Pragelato was one of the five cantons. The Republic was annexed to Savoy in 1713.
The valley, together with Val Pellice, is home to a large Waldensian community.