The New ‘Les Viles By Blizzard-Tecnica’: Skiing In The Heart Of Ladin Culture And Traditions
The Ladins, the inhabitants of this area, have their own language and traditions that date back thousands of years, and they also offer excellent hospitality - a way of experiencing the mountains through the lifestyles and customs of those who know them better than anyone. It’s the inhabitants of these villages who want to show tourists their local traditions, through events, activities and Ladin cuisine. This desire has given rise to "Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica” initiative, to be held during the Alpine Ski World Cup.
Just like the other Ladin valleys, Alta Badia boasts an indescribable cultural heritage. The inhabitants of these areas differ from their neighbouring communities mainly due to their language, i.e. Ladin, a neo-Latin language that was created over a thousand years ago. In recent years especially, a lot of effort has been put into promoting this language and Ladin culture, among both the local population and the numerous tourists who come each year to visit the Ladin valleys, in the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A number of different initiatives have therefore been created to bring local inhabitants and tourists closer to the Ladin world.
The term ‘Les viles’ refers to the buildings that were home to the first farmers who settled in the valley. They are isolated groups of houses and private barns with a number of basic amenities such as a bread oven and water fountain, which were shared between the families who lived inside a vila. Unlike individual farm barns, Ladin viles created a sort of community that strengthened the sense of solidarity and social relations between the families. The viles were built away from rushing streams and strong winds, close to sources of water and on stable terrain. When building the houses, the maximum amount of sunlight during the winter was taken into consideration, together with the amount of rain, cold weather and snow.
The aim of the Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica, located in the Ski World Cup finish area, is to promote Ladin culture by replicating the traditional architecture of the viles.
Ladin culture will also feature in the traditional local cuisine on offer. In fact, Ladin dishes such as barley soup or dumplings, created by the South Tyrolean catering company, Hell isch guit, will be served at a buffet during both competitions. Students from the professional hotel school LEPIDO ROCCO “Giovanni XXIII” in Caorle will be providing the service. In this way, youngsters from a seaside location will get the chance to experience the culinary culture of the mountains, which is very different from their own.
Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica is also the ideal place to spend time together in the hours after the race, tasting local products and enjoying themed parties. Ermes Costa, a local boy who recently won the world accordion championships in Puglia, will be performing at the event.
Tickets including access to the La Crusc grandstand and to the ‘Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica’, with the buffet, cost € 80.00 on Sunday 16th December and €50.00 on Monday 17th December. For information and/or bookings www.skiworldcup.it
RODA DLES SAUS: MOUNTAIN LODGES AND FLAVOURS OF LADIN CUISIN
The “Roda dles Saus” event returns this winter, the week dedicated to Ladin cuisine and culture on the slopes of Alta Badia. Throughout the week, there’ll be the chance to taste the dishes that were created in the heart of the Dolomites, accompanied by South Tyrol’s best wines. Simple but genuine cuisine will be playing the starring role in all mountain lodges taking part in this initiative. Each lodge is specialised in preparing a certain Ladin dish, cooked following grandma's recipes step-by-step. These local specialities will be presented at 5 different events during the week from 17th to 24th March, at the following mountain lodges: L’Tamá, Nagler, Lée, La Crusc and Paraciora.
