THE HISTORIC CARNIVAL

Tradition has it that on Trinity Sunday in 1450 Catherine, who had made Verrès Castle her own stronghold, went down to the square and to the sound of music joined in dancing with the youths of the village. This friendly and frivolous scene has been reenacted every year since 1949 during the Verrès Carnival. The protagonist, Catherine, accompanied by her consort Pierre d’Introd and around 250 participants in costume, brings back to life courageous feats, knightly tournaments and parades. Inside the castle they have dinner, dance, and watch the play La partita a scacchi (The Chess Match) by the playwright Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906). The fact that the castle was under the control of Catherine and her second husband has been passed from generation to generation by word of mouth, and is not proven by historical documents.