The Sound of Wood and Grass

Tsan in Champoluc, Where Tradition Still Competes

In the heart of the Val d’Ayas, among wide meadows and towering peaks, there is a sound that carries an old story. It is the sharp, dry crack of wood striking wood. The sound of tsan, one of the most deeply rooted traditional games of the Aosta Valley.

This spring, that sound carried a little further than usual. The Ayas I team achieved a historic promotion to Serie B in the 2025 spring championship, a moment of shared pride for the entire valley. But to understand why this matters, you first need to understand what tsan truly is.

A mountain game born outdoors

Tsan, pronounced “zan”, is a traditional alpine game played in spring and autumn, when the grass is firm and the air still holds the freshness of the mountains. Matches take place in open fields, often with glaciers and high peaks watching silently from above.

It is a team game that blends skill, precision and intuition. Twelve players per side move between attack and defence, reading the land, the flight of the wooden ball, and the intentions of their opponents. There are no grandstands or artificial arenas here. The landscape itself is part of the game.

Rituals, tools and quiet strategy

Everything in tsan is made of wood. The ball, also called tsan, is struck using a specially shaped stick known as a bakkèt. Each player chooses their own, favouring a particular head shape depending on how they want the ball to travel. Some guard their chosen stick carefully, keeping its form hidden until the very last moment, a small act of mountain cunning.

At the centre of the action stands the pèrcia, a slanted wooden support that holds the ball before it is struck. Its shape, height and thickness subtly influence the game, and choosing it is part of the strategy. One team launches, the other defends, trying to catch the ball in mid-air. What cannot be caught is measured, thrown again, and turned into distance. Victory is counted not in goals, but in metres earned across the field.

The rules are precise, but the spirit is playful. Every match feels slightly different, shaped by weather, ground, and human instinct.

More than a game

Tsan belongs to a wider family of traditional Valdostan sports, alongside fiolet, rebatta and palet. These games have been passed down through generations, learned on village fields rather than in gyms, and shared between grandparents, parents and children.

In Champoluc, the recent success of the Ayas team is not just a sporting achievement. It is a sign that this heritage is alive. Young players are stepping into a tradition that still speaks to the present, carrying forward gestures, rhythms and values that belong to the mountains.

Season after season, tsan continues to bring people together. Not as a spectacle, but as a shared language of movement, landscape and identity. In the Val d’Ayas, the echo of wood on wood is not nostalgia. It is continuity.

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About us

All was really good

We had a great stay, very comfortable, the best view ever from the valley and mountains, stunning. I really liked to be met at the property and shown where to park and shown our apartment, keys etc.

Anneke, ie - 01-07-2024

We had a great stay, very comfortable, the best view ever from the valley and mountains, stunning. I really liked to be met at the property and shown where to park and shown our apartment, keys etc.

Anneke, ie - Family holiday

01-07-2024

Nice and friendly hotel, great breakfast

Nice small hotel with family feeling. Good quality / value for money. Excellent breakfast, clean and tidy. Only a short walk to the gondola, plenty of restaurants in all price ranges just around the c

Ulf H - 25-03-2024

Nice small hotel with family feeling. Good quality / value for money. Excellent breakfast, clean and tidy. Only a short walk to the gondola, plenty of restaurants in all price ranges just around the corner from the hotel

Ulf H - Family holiday

25-03-2024

All the comfort you need when enjoying this charming town.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel L'Aiglon. Firstly the staff were so pleasant and helpful. The room was fine, next time we'd opt for one with a balcony! Comfortable bed, great shower. Plenty of

percehere - 24-03-2024

We really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel L'Aiglon. Firstly the staff were so pleasant and helpful. The room was fine, next time we'd opt for one with a balcony! Comfortable bed, great shower. Plenty of storage and hooks for all our ski gear! Breakfast was in a lovely sunny room and there was plenty of choice for all nationalities. It's a slow 10 minute walk to the gondola, we opted for storing our gear there, although you can use the hotel's. Wellness centre was a perfect end to the days skiing.Definitely recommend and we'll be back!

percehere - Holiday with friends

24-03-2024

Easter Ski Trip

My adult kids and I had a great time, the hotel was clean, tidy and everyone was extremely helpful. The breakfast buffet was a treat each morning and the sauna/hot tub were great after a hard days sk

marka12023 - 13-04-2023

My adult kids and I had a great time, the hotel was clean, tidy and everyone was extremely helpful. The breakfast buffet was a treat each morning and the sauna/hot tub were great after a hard days skiing. Overall really good value for money and very welcoming

marka12023 - Family holiday

13-04-2023

Happy Vacation in Hotel L'Aiglon.

Stayed in Hotel L'Aiglon for 3 nights earlier this week. Great place to stay. Rooms were really comfortable and plenty of space and really clean. We received a really warm welcome on arrival and right

dubontour2016 - 20-01-2023

Stayed in Hotel L'Aiglon for 3 nights earlier this week. Great place to stay. Rooms were really comfortable and plenty of space and really clean. We received a really warm welcome on arrival and right throughout our stay. Breakfast was included in the price. Food was great - loads of variety and really healthy food to prepare us for the day ahead. Would love to return and stay here again in the future.

dubontour2016 - Family holiday

20-01-2023

Nice location, great value

Nice breakfast, clean and large room, perfect for a family of four with a pet.

Fabio Sergio, it - 10-01-2023

Nice breakfast, clean and large room, perfect for a family of four with a pet.

Fabio Sergio, it - Family holiday

10-01-2023

Excellent séjour à l'hôtel l'Aiglon!

L'accueil est sympathique et chaleureux. Les chambres sont spacieuses. L'hôtel est idéalement situé et le cadre est très agréable. Le petit déjeuner est extra avec un personnel au petit soin et très

PierreG04 - 28-06-2022

L'accueil est sympathique et chaleureux. Les chambres sont spacieuses. L'hôtel est idéalement situé et le cadre est très agréable. Le petit déjeuner est extra avec un personnel au petit soin et très sympa. Je ne peux que recommander chaleureusement l'hôtel l'Aiglon!

PierreG04 - Solo holiday

28-06-2022

Friendly familystyle hotel

We spent a few days before Easter in wonderful Champoluc, we decided to stay at L'Aiglon. The hotel has great location in the village, very friendly staff; most helpful when it comes to answer questio

908micaeld - 18-04-2022

We spent a few days before Easter in wonderful Champoluc, we decided to stay at L'Aiglon. The hotel has great location in the village, very friendly staff; most helpful when it comes to answer questions and point us to good deals and opportunities. The breakfast is wonderful, in itself worth the stay.

908micaeld - Family holiday

18-04-2022

Fabulous return visit

We have stayed here several times. First visit since the pandemic. The warm Italian welcome ever present. Such a friendly family run hotel. Spotlessly clean, very comfy, lovely views, great breakfast

Julie H - 21-03-2022

We have stayed here several times. First visit since the pandemic. The warm Italian welcome ever present. Such a friendly family run hotel. Spotlessly clean, very comfy, lovely views, great breakfast and next to the ski lift for Antagnod mini ski area so quiet on the slopes perfect. We will return again and again. Brandy measures in the bar still extremely generous! Thank you all the staff!

Julie H - Family holiday

21-03-2022

Another GREAT stay

We have been coming to this wonderful family operated hotel for more than 10 years for an annual ski vacation. Great location near main gondola and our favorite restaurants. Good and friendly service.

LarsNice - 14-03-2022

We have been coming to this wonderful family operated hotel for more than 10 years for an annual ski vacation. Great location near main gondola and our favorite restaurants. Good and friendly service. Good breakfast. Rooms are well kept and neatly cleaned daily. Overall, we find L’Aiglon great value for the reasonable rates. We are already looking forward to our next visit!

LarsNice - Couples holiday

14-03-2022