Ski Resorts News
05/12/2023
The Italian Alpine town in the Valle d’Aosta region decided to revert to its original name 'Le Breuil'. It was a decision that was to last just 24 hours.
A village located in Italy's Val d'Aosta on Thursday reverted to its original name 'Le Breuil' - the name before it became Cervinia in 1934, named after the resort's famous peak, Monte Cervino- also known as the Matterhorn.
Its modern name was given as part of a drive by Benito Mussolini to Italianize many northern place names, giving them Italian ones instead of French or German ones.
Many municipalities in Val d'Aosta became known under new Italian names, as did many municipalities in Alto Adige-South Tyrol on the Austrian border.
The process of changing the town's name back began in 2011, and Valle d'Aosta's regional president, Renzo Testolin, signed a decree last September which formalised the switch.
The decision sparked theanger of the residents. Some believe that the name change represents a damage to the country's image, with the risk of suffering backlash. Many fear, in fact, that this change could cause damage to tourism (and advertising) and generate excessive bureaucracy. Cervinia is a “brand” world famous and ski resort could lose its tourist appeal globally.
"Cervinia will not disappear in the collective memory," explained Jean-Antoine Maquignaz, the former mayor who began the process for the recognition of historical names in the region. "It is one of the most famous ski resorts in the Alps," he told the Turin edition of Corriere della Sera.
After 24 hours, Maquignaz no longer wanted to change the name either. The former mayor said there was a "misunderstanding". He did not think that the name 'Cervinia' would be cancelled: "We just wanted to reaffirm a historical toponym, which is the one we use in dialect".
The case also exploded on a political level.
Tourism minister Daniela Santanchè urged the local council to "think again" saying that the local winter sports industry would be "heavily penalised by dropping a brand name that is known worldwide".
“Sharp disagreement” comes from Fratelli d'Italia who spoke out against the name change: “We express deep amazement and dismay because the Cervinia brand is known in Italy and around the world and such a drastic change, evidently the result of an ideology out of time, space and place, can only harm the hotel tourism sector and the image of the entire Aosta Valley" he declared Alberto Zucchi, regional coordinator for the Aosta Valley of Fratelli d'Italia and deputy Matteo Rosso.
Not even the current mayor of Valtournenche agrees, Elisa Cicco, elected last May when the measure had already passed the city council: “Tomorrow we will meet the president of the region. The goal is find a solution together with the regional administration. We want to address the problem and understand what we can do. We will ask to be able to rectify the name and maintain the name Cervinia.
The decision sparked theanger of the residents. Some believe that the name change represents a damage to the country's image, with the risk of suffering backlash. Many fear, in fact, that this change could cause damage to tourism (and advertising) and generate excessive bureaucracy. Cervinia is a “brand” world famous and ski resort could lose its tourist appeal globally.
Its modern name was given as part of a drive by Benito Mussolini to Italianize many northern place names, giving them Italian ones instead of French or German ones.
Many municipalities in Val d'Aosta became known under new Italian names, as did many municipalities in Alto Adige-South Tyrol on the Austrian border.
The process of changing the town's name back began in 2011, and Valle d'Aosta's regional president, Renzo Testolin, signed a decree last September which formalised the switch.
The decision sparked theanger of the residents. Some believe that the name change represents a damage to the country's image, with the risk of suffering backlash. Many fear, in fact, that this change could cause damage to tourism (and advertising) and generate excessive bureaucracy. Cervinia is a “brand” world famous and ski resort could lose its tourist appeal globally.
"Cervinia will not disappear in the collective memory," explained Jean-Antoine Maquignaz, the former mayor who began the process for the recognition of historical names in the region. "It is one of the most famous ski resorts in the Alps," he told the Turin edition of Corriere della Sera.
After 24 hours, Maquignaz no longer wanted to change the name either. The former mayor said there was a "misunderstanding". He did not think that the name 'Cervinia' would be cancelled: "We just wanted to reaffirm a historical toponym, which is the one we use in dialect".
The case also exploded on a political level.
Tourism minister Daniela Santanchè urged the local council to "think again" saying that the local winter sports industry would be "heavily penalised by dropping a brand name that is known worldwide".
“Sharp disagreement” comes from Fratelli d'Italia who spoke out against the name change: “We express deep amazement and dismay because the Cervinia brand is known in Italy and around the world and such a drastic change, evidently the result of an ideology out of time, space and place, can only harm the hotel tourism sector and the image of the entire Aosta Valley" he declared Alberto Zucchi, regional coordinator for the Aosta Valley of Fratelli d'Italia and deputy Matteo Rosso.
Not even the current mayor of Valtournenche agrees, Elisa Cicco, elected last May when the measure had already passed the city council: “Tomorrow we will meet the president of the region. The goal is find a solution together with the regional administration. We want to address the problem and understand what we can do. We will ask to be able to rectify the name and maintain the name Cervinia.
The decision sparked theanger of the residents. Some believe that the name change represents a damage to the country's image, with the risk of suffering backlash. Many fear, in fact, that this change could cause damage to tourism (and advertising) and generate excessive bureaucracy. Cervinia is a “brand” world famous and ski resort could lose its tourist appeal globally.
Cervinia ski resort (also known as Breuil-Cervinia; Italian: Cervinia, French: Breuil) is a ski resort located in the northwestern part of Italy, nestled in the picturesque Aosta Valley between the majestic peaks of the Alps...
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