The traditional cuisine of the Aosta Valley features rich dishes based on game and cheese, especially the local Fontina, as well as influences from the neighboring trans-Alpine regions of Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and Valais.
Because of the difference in the altitude and soil conditions of the Aosta Valley, Aostan cuisine makes extensive use of corn (maize) and rye, rather than wheat, and uses butter and animal fat rather than olive oil.
In the Cogne Valley area, where Piedmontese influence is stronger, rice is a common part of the cuisine.