Up in the mountains of Piedmont, the houses in the settlements are built as tightly as one another, like sheep, which protect themselves from the weather and attackers by crowding together. This construction certainly protected its inhabitants to some extent from predators, cold weather and wild animals, until they were driven to poverty in the big cities in search of a better lot. And their houses and entire settlements were left behind.

This also applies to the small hamlet of Sagna Rotonda, which slowly decayed for decades until Teresina and Giovanni discovered it in the early 2000s and all the buildings were bought by the almost 20 different owners. In the course of a few but very busy years, the two have restored the mini-village true to the original and converted it into an “Albergo Diffuso”, which is becoming increasingly popular in Italy and elsewhere. Nine apartments, nested in the different buildings, each with their own bathrooms and kitchens and their own entrances, have been rented out since 2012. Common areas are the meadows around or the large group room where yoga and other courses can be offered.

The operators of Sagna Rotonda are very active members in the association for the promotion of ecologically sustainable tourism in the Valle Maira. Among other things, this valley, which has been almost completely depopulated by centuries of rural exodus and also the entire surrounding region, is now and still very tentatively developing into a newly discovered paradise for hikers and nature lovers far away from the large tourist crowds. Insider tip - still!

We also featured this accommodation on our blog at Five places for winter sports.