“In Piedmont, more specifically in the Maira Valley, true luxury is built on nature and simplicity.” I could not agree more to this sentence of Sagna Rotonda owner Giovanni.

I visited the eco-village last week and if you love nature in its unaffected and pristine condition, as well as authentic places that stand for deceleration, not mass tourism, then the Maira Valley and Sagna Rotonda are perfect for you.

Ten years ago, Giovanni and his wife Teresina bought the abandoned and partially dilapidated hamlet of 17 families and converted it over the next four years to a small eco-holiday village. For the facade, he consulted a family from the neighboring village, for interior design and the electrical system he was responsible himself. The focus was always on the idea of an environmentally conscious restoration. That is why only natural materials have been used or old materials that found a new purpose. Today, Sagna Rotonda has nine apartments, recently a new, larger restaurant and a common room used by groups for yoga classes. There is not much around the eco-village – except the varied and impressive nature.

The luxury of nature

We wake up in the morning next to an impressive view of the surrounding mountains and we can hear the ringing of the cowbells from the meadow nearby. We enjoy our first coffee of the day overlooking the valley. As Giovanni said at the beginning of our visit, the biggest highlight here is nature itself. That’s why we love to discover something new in the area every day right after breakfast. Hiking or mountain biking is the best way to explore the alpine mountains. By the way, here’s really something for everyone: Whether you prefer easier tours through larch forests and past old hamlets or you enjoy the high alpine terrain with a mountain ascent – it is beautiful everywhere!

Not only nature but also the villages have remained authentic here in the Maira Valley: “In contrast to some other valleys where in the past tourism has led to large hotels, the villages in the Maira Valley have remained original. That’s why I love the valley so much!“ says Giovanni. There is not a bakery on every corner and if you need to do some grocery shopping, it’s best to plan it well – and to make sure to take the long Italian lunch break into account.

La Tavernetta: Piedmontese cuisine in the Sagna Rotonda

However, we are lucky to eat right in the Sagna Rotonda. In the small restaurant “La Tavernetta” Fabio and Paula are cooking for the guests. The two were among the first guests of the eco-village and are now returning every summer to conjure up the finest Piedmontese treats. You wouldn’t notice that cooking was once just a hobby for Fabio! With a bottle of wine, we enjoy the 4-course menu, sometimes indoors in the cuddly restaurant, sometimes outside with a view of the sunset, depending on the weather.

Wellness highlight: the self-built sauna

After a day of hiking, Sagna Rotonda welcomes you with another surprise: the sauna! The Spa is small but fine and must be reserved to be used privately. It took Giovanni one month to integrate the sauna into the old vaulted building and to provide it with many beautiful details: from the glass stones in the relaxation area that are indirectly lit to the impressively designed, small cold water basin. The sauna reminded me again with how much love Giovanni and Teresina have restored the eco-village and how beautifully they turned it into a retreat.

After only a week in Sagna Rotonda and the Maira Valley, we are deeply relaxed, thrilled by nature and the mountain scenery and feel incredibly blessed to be in this special place created by Teresina and Giovanni. Goodbye is really hard for us, but we will definitely be back!

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