Italian ski resort of Cervinia reverts back to original name of Le Breuil
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A small town in the Italian Alps has ditched its Mussolini-era name and reverted to its original one.
Cervinia, a well-known ski resort in the Valle d’Aosta region, was for centuries known as Le Breuil.
It was given its modern name in 1934 as part of an effort by Benito Mussolini, the Fascist dictator, to Italianise names in regions where dialects and other languages were used.
The name Cervinia was derived from the nearby towering peak of Monte Cervino – known to the rest of the world as the Matterhorn.
The town’s council has now voted to revert to Le Breuil, a name that means “the marshy place” and which comes from Valdôtain, a dialect of Franco-Provençal that is still spoken in Valle d’Aosta, Italy’s smallest region.
Jean-Antoine Maquignaz, a hotel owner and former mayor who pushed the name change, said: “It’s the original Franco-Provençal name. We need to take into account the culture of the region. Names with a long history should be preserved.”
But the decision has angered some of the 700 inhabitants of the town, which derives much of its income from skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.
They say it will confuse tourists and undermine the town’s branding. They worry about the cost of producing new signage, maps and official documents.
Daniela Santanche, Italy’s tourism minister, appealed to the town to reconsider.
“Cervinia has changed its name and I don’t understand the reason,” she said.
Brothers of Italy, the party led by the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, also objected to the name change.
Le Breuil was one of many places in Valle d’Aosta that was given a new, Italianised name under Mussolini’s 20-year rule.
Chatillon became Castiglion Dora, Morgex became Valdigna d’Aosta and La Thuile was transformed into Porta Littoria, much to the resentment of local inhabitants.
