Arpitania is a cultural region in the Western Alps spread across parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy (and it boasts one of my favorite flags). The term was first introduced as Harpitania in the 1970s by ethnologist Joseph Henriet, who aimed to foster geographical unity in the area. He derived the name from the local dialect of the Aosta Valley, where “arpian” means “one who works in the Alps”, combined with Basque influence from “harri-pe”, meaning “under the rocks” (Henriet drew inspiration from Basque writer Federico Krutwig). To enhance the aesthetic appeal, the initial “h” was omitted and a “t” was appended. The term gained popularity in the 1990s as people embraced “Arpitan” over “Franco-provençal” to describe the dialect spoken in the region (it was easier to pronounce and rhymed with “Occitan”), thus solidifying its usage.
