Usseaux – Il Villaggio Alpino del Pane e dei Murales (4K UHD)

Usseaux è un autentico gioiello nascosto nell’Alta Val Chisone, in Piemonte. In questo tour ci immergeremo nella sua atmosfera fiabesca, tra vicoli acciottolati, dettagli in legno, l’antico mulino, sorprendenti murales e molto altro ancora!

Raggiungibile in circa un’ora da Torino, in Piemonte, Usseaux è un incantevole borgo alpino situato nella splendida Val Chisone, non lontano dal famoso Forte di Fenestrelle. In questo tour respireremo l’atmosfera suggestiva di uno dei borghi più belli d’Italia, con una lunga storia, un dialetto occitano unico e tradizioni autentiche che gli Ussesi sono fieri di tramandare.

Ma la cosa più sorprendente di Usseaux è che è noto come il “Borgo dei Murales”, grazie ai numerosi dipinti che raccontano storie di vita contadina e leggende montane. Andiamo a scoprirli insieme!

Punti di interesse:
[00:00] *Benvenuti a Usseaux*
[05:55] *Piazzetta delle Cinque Borgate* (🥇) – il cuore del villaggio
[07:15] *Storia del Pane* – murales sulla storia del pane
[08:30] *Antico Forno* – la casa che ospita il forno comunitario
[11:35] *Scorcio incantevole* (⭐) – l’angolo più pittoresco di Usseaux
[19:35] *Il “moe”* – il palo del sindaco
[21:35] *Atelier Melissa Abate Daga* – https://www.facebook.com/melissa.ad.77
[23:50] *Val Chisone* (⭐) – il contesto montano che avvolge il borgo
[27:50] *Dal Dahu* – piccola ristorazione
[29:45] *Antico Lavatoio* – il lavatoio più grande della valle
[32:00] *Mulino Canton* – l’antico mulino
[38:13] *Municipio* – l’edificio del comune
[39:00] *Targhe di riconoscimento* – Usseaux pluripremiato
[40:35] *Atelier Luisa Diaz Chamorro* – https://www.facebook.com/ld.chamorro.3
[45:55] *Chiesa di San Pietro* – l’edificio religioso del villaggio
[52:20] *Prossima meta* – Balboutet!

📜 Attiva i Sottotitoli per leggere descrizioni, curiosità, fatti storici e molto altro!

🇮🇹 I sottotitoli sono disponibili in italiano.

📌 PLAYLIST PIEMONTE

#usseaux #balboutet #piemonte #valchisone #torino #italia #4k #walkingtour
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🎥 *ATTREZZATURA*
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🔔 *ISCRIVITI AL CANALE*
Ogni settimana vi porterò alla scoperta dei luoghi più incantevoli e segreti del nostro meraviglioso paese! 🙂

Usseaux is listed among Italy’s most beautiful villages, and is likely to be the finest one in the Piedmont region. It’s a little treasure in Val Chisone, one of the fourteen Italian Occitan valleys. Val Chisone takes its name from the Chisone River and it spreads out between Turin and the border with France.

The architecture is typical of mountain villages, characterized by a harmonious blend of natural elements such as stone, wood, flowers, and water. The village is a burst of flowers, with perfectly restored ancient houses, quaint squares and charming narrow streets.

In the backdrop is see the main church of Usseaux, the final stop of our tour. The village of Usseaux is particularly known for its murals, which turns it into a proper open-air museum. Around 40 murals scatter the village, depicting animals, humans, local fairytales, and the area’s rural lifestyle.

The mountain life have led the local people to adopt some specific materials and styles throughout the centuries. Wood is everywhere: from balconies with cheerful flowers to utensils, signs, doors, vases and walls stacked with logs. Every alley reveals an enchanting surprise.

Because of the many fires, people then started to use more resistant materials: that’s the origin of the many bare-stone houses with sloped roofs. This cute square is Piazzetta delle 5 Borgate, the heart of the village.

This mural depicts a local Romeo climbing a wisteria to reach his mountain Juliet, who’s waiting for him at the balcony. It must be blissful to live in such a colorful, quiet corner of the village.

This series of murals depicts all the steps to make bread: from sowing and mowing to milling, bread making and baking. The bread has always been a very important staple for the village inhabitants. Piazzetta delle Cinque Borgate takes its name from the five hamlets that belong to the municipality of Usseaux.

One of them is Balboutet, which we explored in another video. The building on the left is the ancient village oven, probably restored at the end of the 19th century. People could bake their bread every fortnight from March to December.

The head of the village organized the shifts so that everybody could have their own space and time. After every use, the oven had to be left in perfect condition for the next family’s use. Today, the oven is a witness of history and memories, but is still used in special holiday occasions

Each village in Usseaux has its own headman, known as “Mansià,” who serves as the spokesperson for each hamlet. The Mansià deals with taking care of the village, ensuring everybody takes part in its administrative life. The Mansià is elected in every hamlet whenever there is a change in the Mayor.

This is probably the most picturesque corner of the village. Usseaux may be a small village, but its history is very long and interesting. The first settlements arrived in the Val Chisone area some 12,000 years ago.

Usseaux and the surrounding villages owe their origin to the many people who have inhabited the valley throughout history. They were Ligurians, Celtics, Romans, Barbarians, Byzantines, Provencals, Langobards, Saracens… all of them left a lot about their culture and traditions.

Over centuries, the town witnessed a succession of ruling powers from the Dauphiné and Kingdom of France to Savoy and the Napoleonic era. Many seasonal residents from Usseaux reside in Pinerolo, a city just a half-hour drive from Turin. It’s like embarking on a treasure hunt. Art is everywhere you look!

In the 14th-18th centuries, Usseaux was part of the Escartons, an independent Republic that included all the villages in the valley. The Escartons’ independence lasted until 1861 when Usseaux became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Like many villages over the Italian mountains, Usseaux has been involved in both world wars, becoming a refuge for the partisan fighters during World War II. Post-World War II, the village faced challenges of depopulation due to seasonal emigration to France and the plains’ industries.

Today, technological progress and the revival of ancient forms of work have slowed the trend of rural depopulation. The mountain is now a perfect escape from modern chaos, allowing people to enjoy the quietness of nature. See how the main street is a perpetual sequence of lovely corners!

According to the latest census, the municipality has approximately 175 residents, spread among about 100 families. One-third of the residents reside in the main town of Usseuax. Usseaux has also a very special local tradition, possibly linked to ancient Celtic roots.

It’s the so-called “moe”, a sort of scepter that the local people give to the mayor once they are elected. At every election, the residents go to the woods, choose the finest larch tree, cut a log, and place it next to the mayor’s house.

The “moe” is a symbol of trust and collaboration, but also a reminder of all the mayor’s duties and responsibilities towards its people. Murals are often an artistic way to give new life to ancient villages facing degradation.

The first murals were painted in Usseaux some 30 years ago, when its inhabitants were looking for a way to make it more appealing to tourists. The initiative was a success: Usseaux has since become a great example for many other villages in Italy and beyond.

The murals in Usseaux are mainly painted by local artists, some of them having their own atelier in the village. Young artist Melissa Abate Daga is among them. Here is her art studio, beautifully dug in the stone. His works consist of paintings using acrylics on surfaces like wood, cloth, stone, and even book pages.

Most of the murals adorning the five hamlets bear the artistic imprint of Melissa. She truly paints on every kind of surface, be it doors, shutters, balconies, and even the not-so-artistic electrical boxes! Here she is while at work. Better not to bother her, let’s go.

If you want to know more about her art, check her Facebook page in the description below. Not only murals: nature is a true masterpiece of this area. Imagine waking up to such a gorgeous mountain landscape and greenery! The vibrant hues of the foliage make the scenery even more picture perfect.

This is “Dal Dahu”, a small eatery — the ideal place to have a short break in Usseaux. Here, you can enjoy delicious polenta seated on traditional wooden chairs with a refreshing view of the valley. We’re now taking a quick detour from the center to visit the main historical attractions of Usseaux.

The biggest in the valley, this lavatoio was another of the community landmarks in Usseaux. When washing machines didn’t exist yet, the women used to go to the lavouirë (in the local dialect) to wash their clothes and sheets. Of course, it was also a leisure moment for them to gather and bond.

This lavatoio was built here because it was once well exposed to the sun and touched by an underground stream which would warm up the water. Here stands the Occitan flag: a yellow cross on red, with a seven-point star symbolizing the union of the Occitan territories.

The flag is a fundamental symbol of identity for all the Occitan-speaking valleys in Piedmont. The Occitan language, also known as lenga d’òc, is mainly spoken in some regions of south-western Europe. Although Italian is the official language, Occitan, French and Piedmontese are widely spoken in these valleys.

In Usseaux especially, people speak “patouà”, a Provençal Alpine variation of the Occitan language. Immersed in this lush vegetation, the Mulino Canton is an ancient milling house. It has belonged to the Canton family for generations, although its maintenance is today entrusted to the Municipality.

Partially destroyed by an avalanche, it was rebuilt in 1948 and was successfully active until 1968, when people gradually stopped growing grains. The mill works thanks to water, which pushes the big external wheel. The wheel then activates the movement of the millstone and all the mechanisms which allow the milling process.

The mighty wheel is equipped with paddles or buckets that efficiently harnessed the energy of flowing water. The water of the nearby creek is often funneled to the mill through wooden pipes.

In 2001, the Mulino Canton was restored and is now open to the public on weekends and summer holidays, thanks to a local association. Adjacent to the mill, there are 14 paths for walking or cycling through the forest.

A path is the “Pathway of Thought”, because of the aphorisms (in Italian, Occitan, French, and Spanish) written on wooden signs along the way. The inhabitants of Usseaux are known as Ussesi. From 1901 to 2011, the population in Usseaux plummeted from 1,203 to 185 due to depopulation.

Fortunately, from 2011 to the present, the town has maintained a steady number of residents. Have you ever thought about living in a mountain village? How would a slower pace affect your daily life? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. This building is home to the town hall.

The emblem on the facade features two crossed swords on a blue background, with the ancient name “Uxellum” in gold letters. The library window showcases Usseaux’s awards, such as “Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages” and the Touring Club Italiano’s Orange Flag. Framing the square are the majestic mountains of Orsiera Rocciavrè Park.

Here is another local art studio: this one belongs to artist Luisa Diaz Chamorro, coming from Malaga, Spain. Luisa fell in love with Usseaux in 2012, and ended up deciding to partially live here with her family. These views needs no explanation.

I stopped for a few minutes to chat with these two friendly residents. They were curious about the videos I was filming. I am considering filming more tours of the Piedmont region. Please feel free to give any suggestions you may have.

The Church of San Pietro is the main religious landmark in Usseaux, dating back to the second half of the 17th century. The façade showcases a painting of Saint Peter, while the bell tower has a beautiful octagonal spire. Here are the many wooden utensils and decorations that embody the rustic charm of the village.

The level of detail locals lavish their homes is truly admirable. We are now back to the initial piazzetta. Our tour of Usseaux is over. We certainly got our fill of the most typical Alpine beauty! Now, let’s head to the nearby village of Balboutet, just a short walk from Usseaux.

Click on the video above. See you there! 🙂