Page 7 - Guida di Chiomonte Gravere Exilles

introduction Chiomonte is the village of the vineyards and of the wine. The wine-growing was the main and most

important activity of the local families for a long time.Today it’s an heritage of about twenty families who
work small areas and produce limited quantities of wine for self-consumption. There are only a few wine
farms which permit to the local wine to be known and appreciated also abroad.
The civic coat of arms of the village is dedicated to the cultivation of vine: two vines with a prosperous bunch
of grapes, under the sun offering its hot rays, essential for life and cultivations.
The motto “Jamais sans toi” means the love for the land.
Chiomonte is also the village of the monumental stone fountains, refreshing the passerby and once used
by women to wash clothes. It’s the place where you can visit the “Pertus” an extraordinary hydraulic work
made by Colombano Romean in the 16th century. It’s the village of Santa Caterina small church, of the Levis’
building, the Parish of Santa Maria Assunta and its bell tower, the highest of all the valley.
Chiomonte gave birth to the mid 19th century dialectal poetic works “La Vandeimo”, “ Le Carnaval” and
other works attributed to Jean Baptiste Jayme. And the village is mentioned as “Sumonte” in the romance “
the seven fountains”by Luisa Macina Gervasio.
Chiomonte is the village of “RAMATS”, the sunny district where is possible to visit Saint Andrew’s Chapel and
the remains of the old windmill, the only one in this part of the Alps. Chiomonte is the village of FRAIS, the
higher skiing area with green lawns perfect for winter and summer tourism, with picturesque localities as
Louset, Argouel and Grand Serein, potential nice destinations for hikers and bikers.
Chiomonte can be reached by train from Turin ( Torino-Bardonecchia line ) or by car driving on SS24. It’an
amazing village which deserves to be visited or lived. Many local associations despite all the difficulties,
work to keep it alive, renewing each year their offer. Together with the typical restaurants and the small
hotels always ready to host in the best way possible.

Seggiovia Pian del Frais. 1950 ca. Cartolina Fotografica Ed. Antonio Bernard, Chiomonte.

Chiomonte en Italien, Chaumont en Français, Chaumount en langue locale occitano-alpine parlée, Cimon
en Piémontais.
C’est ainsi que se nomme ce village que l’on rencontre après Susa et Gravere et qui en remontant la vallée
traverse la Dora-riparia. Ces différentes dénominations mais de meme origine reflètent les diverses strati-
fications composées de langues et d’ histoire qui se sont croisées et superposées dans cette commune des
Alpes-Cozie à 750 mètres d’altitude et qui constituent sa richesse.
L’histoire de Chiomonte débute au néolitique avec les tribus Ligures et Luguri.Celtes qui ont laissé une im-
portante empreinte au site archéologique de la Maddalena qui fut le premier emplacement de Chiomonte
à gauche de la rivière Dora-riparia. Cette histoire, à l’ère romaine puis au moyenage change de position se
déplaçant jusqu’à son actuel emplacement à droite de la Dora-riparia.
Chiomonte fut aussi le siège d’un temple de l’ordre de saint Jean de Jérusalem, puis sous l’ère féodale (prévot
d’Oulx) dans le berceau du règne de France. En 1713, le traité d’Utrecht signe sa séparation (ainsi que ce
qu’on nome les vallées cédées comprenant Oulx, Pragelato et Casteldelfino) d’avec ses terres transalpines
du Briançonnais auxquelles elle était liée par des liens étroits de culture, de langage, de costumes tradition-
nels et d’architecture. A la fin du 18ème du siècle, après son annexion au conté de Savoie et plus tard à la
réunification de l’Italie la dénomination de la commune prend des accents Italiens et devient officiellement
Chiomonte.