Elva, the Maira Valley, young people who love history and nature

Direction: Elva Maira Valley
Set off from Alba. It was hot. Let’s even say it was quite muggy. Fairly heavy traffic. Bra, Fossano, Busca, Dronero, Macra. The landscape already changes. The road begins to climb and the green woods seem to refresh even the inside of the car. We go toward Morinesio (one of the entrances to Elva cn) because that is how we were advised. And up we go. We go down three times to photograph, to cool off with the air becoming finer. The roadside is colored by white and purple flowers and wild herbs (we will find that many foreign tourists love this part of the province of Cuneo precisely because of its botany and biodiversity).

Arriving in the square in Elva we have stone houses, red geraniums, a spring, blue sky. I can encapsulate it all in the word SERENITY.

A quick walk around the village and then we go to check in. A structure that blends perfectly with the surrounding houses. The stone, the wood, the flowers and the smiles. Yes, because we saw many smiles. And young smiles.

Our room, large and cozy. Elegant in its simplicity. The Duvet on the bed! Leaving in the muggy weather and thinking about the comforter?!?!

But we don’t want to waste even a minute and so we go to explore the SPA. And what a spa! The work that has been done in this resort/elegant retreat/mountain house, call it what you will, is truly amazing! Their explanation speaks of “a journey to a new dimension, away from daily habits and stress, immersing yourself in the mountain landscape and experiencing a deep contact with your inner self”: well, I confirm, that’s exactly what it is.

Hiking in and around the Maira Valley Elva
After the SPA a walk to explore the village. Many paths and possibilities for various treks of different difficulty start here: Starting from 2 h to go to the Bicocca pass or a challenging walk like the Lou Viol ring. Calculate that here you start already at an altitude of 1,600 meters so take the trail without hurry!

The village is a real treat. The church is a surprise. Frescoes by Hans Clemer that enrich this little gem. All very well cared for and that makes you realize the love of the Elvese people for their village.

But now I want to tell you about something unique and suggest a Visit to the PELS Museum. A story that begins in the last century and developed until the late 1960s. Poverty, hardship and even hunger sharpened the ingenuity of the inhabitants of this village and created the whole chain of wig production: from the finding of the raw material to the making and marketing.

If when you arrived in Elva you thought there were so many curves to get there…and you were sitting comfortably in your car, try to imagine how adventurous it was to go all over Italy to buy hair and then create sales channels with the farthest countries you can imagine. This museum is worth the trip.

But, there is still something very special that is worth the trip! The restaurant where Chef Romina and her husband Mauro pampered us in the evening. A dinner of the highest standard. Where the mountain herbs, garden produce and Romina’s ingenuity created beautiful, colorful and very tasty dishes.

All this cozy elegance, this town of about 30 people (yes you read that right) are just a couple of hours from Alba. And it is being populated by beautiful people. Young people who are eager to revive traditions, to open up store, to invest in a Resort: to believe in a conscious return to the roots!

And here comes my proposal:

ELVA CUNEO PIEDMONT SlowDays proposal.
A couple of nights in the Resort (it’s called Le Colonne, I don’t want to keep it just for myself!), with dinner, SPA, a Bordiga cocktail, an organized visit to the Church and also the Museum and maybe a trek? Could this be an attractive proposal?

Ask me for info and I will offer you a package that you can truly call UNFORGETTABLE.

The name Bordiga did not happen by accident. Bordiga is a famous and ancient vermouth brand from Cuneo that, thanks to entrepreneurs in the province is reviving with great momentum. And the resort in Elva is part of the dream linked to the Bordiga brand. But I won’t tell you everything 🙂

From Claudia of SlowDays that’s it … I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back to my desk. If I am no longer answering emails from my Slow clients, look for me in Elva