The Sabots of Ayas

By: Comune di Ayas

Culture

Symbol of the millenary fair of Sant'Orso, sabots represent, at least in Valle d'Aosta, the forerunners of mountain boots.

Although the origin of these wooden shoes is ancient and unknown, it can be assumed that they were born, thanks to the happy intuition of some craftsmen, from the need to have sturdy and comfortable shoes suitable for the climate and the nature of the soil. In addition to being cheap, sabots had the advantage of being warm and dry, that is, suitable for the rigors of winter, mud and rain.

Made from a single piece of wood, this shoe became a commercial object in Val d'Ayas already in the 18th century, as testified by the intendant of the Duchy who, in his report on the state of the forests and metallurgical industries of the Aosta Valley, provides the first data on its production and marketing. And to understand the quantity of clogs produced, just think that the sabotiers were paid by the day, generally quantified in the manufacture of twelve pairs of sabots.

The Sabot or "Tsoquè" are the characterizing element of the traditional craftsmanship of the upper Val d'Ayas. Walking through the villages of Ayas one often encounters them displayed to decorate the wonderful rascards. The craft of the sabotier is today handed down and represented during the Sant'Orso Fair by our precious craftsmen.

sabots esposti su rascard

On a cartchôt or easel, the trunk is cut according to the desired length for the sabot. In this way, two large pieces of wood are obtained which will be compared to check whether they resemble each other, and then proceed to roughly rough them with a piolet, i.e. an axe. Subsequently, the work moves to the banc di tsôque, the workbench, where the shoe continues to be shaped: this step is called échapolà. We then move on to working the internal part, which is considered the simplest task and is therefore often entrusted to apprentices, who often end up breaking the front part of their first sabots anyway. A Travéla, a gimlet with a screw tip with a rotating movement, is used to hollow out the inside of the sabot. Instead, the so-called lénguetta, a leaf chisel is used to finish the interior. Then the heel and toe are made using the bench knife. To better finish the outside of the sabot the unmistakable Coutél dè dove man is used, a two-handed knife, a very special tool that also requires special protection, the pétsa, a simple piece of wood tied at the waist with a strap, indispensable in turn, given that in this phase the sabot in the process of finishing is held with the knees. The last phase sees the modeling of the edges of the entrance, using a coutel dréit, a knife with a fixed blade.

Then, using the créyón di tsôque, a special pencil, the new sabots are numbered; all that remains is to use the resséón di tsôque, a hacksaw, to pass the wire along the edge of the entrance, to make it more robust and durable. In summary, here is your sabot. An artisan work that will serve you faithfully as it has served generations and generations of men, women and children, or a simple memory of a stay in Val d'Ayas. In any case, it is still a product that represents a small piece of history, something that cannot be found elsewhere. Something to admire, an object that goes far beyond its concrete essence of a simple wooden shoe.

Contact a master sabotier to see them and fit them!