On the Shores of the Lake Where Napoleon Ate: A Weekend in Osiglia

Whizzing along the motorway that leads from the Po Valley to the Ligurian Sea through a long series of tunnels, we don't always think about it: yet above those tunnels stretch the wonderful mountain ranges of the Apennines and the Ligurian Alps, dotted with splendid colourful villages set in the dark green of the woods. Places where time passes without haste or stress, ideal for excursions in the midst of nature, places that instil peace and where on the table they still serve dishes cooked the way grandmothers knew how. Osiglia, a small municipality in the Savona hinterland, about fifteen kilometres from the Millesimo toll booth, is one of these magical places. We had spotted it, noticing on the map a lake nestled among the mountains: Lake Osiglia, indeed.

The village lies at about 650 metres above sea level and is made up of numerous hamlets, each with its own charm and its own traditions. If today it is appreciated by tourists who love nature, in the past it was instead an important trading hub of the Upper Val Bormida. First mentioned in the 12th century as Oselega, the toponym of the village could mean "spring", from the pre-Roman word "ausa", or "bird", from the Latin "aucellus". After a first stroll in the centre, where we admired the Parish Church of the Most Holy Name of Mary, rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century but with its original 14th-century bell tower, and the Oratory of San Francesco, from the 15th century, today the seat of the municipal theatre, we set off to discover Lake Osiglia. We reach it about a kilometre after the Rossi hamlet, where we will stay at the Albergo Ristorante Alpino.

It is an artificial lake, three kilometres long and about two hundred metres wide, created between 1937 and 1939 following the construction of the dam on the Osiglietta stream. During its construction a part of the village was submerged, an operation that created a sort of "ghost village" under the water, which re-emerges every time, for maintenance reasons, the basin is drained, offering a unique spectacle. Today the lake is a tourist fishing reserve, and on its waters sailing and canoeing competitions are held. Long before us, an excellent "tourist" passed through Osiglia: Napoleon himself. It is said that he went to eat in an inn in the centre, where he tasted the typical fazzini of Osiglia, called fazzègni, made with a dough similar to that of potato gnocchi, cooked on the stove and dressed with a leek or onion sauce.

According to legend, the emperor liked this speciality so much that he stuffed himself with it, to the point of suffering stomach pains for the rest of his life. That is why from that moment on he was always portrayed with his hand slipped inside his waistcoat, in the act of pressing the painful part. We also visit the Chapel of San Giacomo dei Ronchi, owned by the Templars from 1267 and later by the Knights of Malta, the 13th-century Church of the Annunziata and the Chapel of the Madonna della Neve, in the Monte hamlet. After this lovely trip, we return to the Ristorante Albergo Alpino, where we abandon ourselves to the pleasures of good food. "This establishment has been in Osiglia since 1971; we took it over recently," Margherita tells us, running the place together with Simone and Marco.

"We are very careful to use ingredients that are as local as possible, in order to support the traditions of the area. We make everything in-house, offering only home-style dishes: for this reason we are also associated with Slow Food. In Osiglia we are between the Riviera and the Langhe, and our cuisine reflects both areas," the owners explain. And indeed, just reading the menu we are introduced into the tasty Osiglia universe: the brightly coloured pages contain curious anecdotes about the typical specialities of the place. We start with a mixed antipasto platter called "L'Alpino on the plate", and continue with Grandma's tagliatelle, the Alpini ravioli and the Margherita gnocchi. We dress the handmade pasta with meat and mushroom sauces, as well as pesto and the classic butter and sage.

We wash down these delights with wines from the Langhe but also from the Riviera, among them Vermentino, Rossese, Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo. Some of us happily enjoy the craft beers produced in the Val Bormida, including one flavoured with chestnuts. We follow the first courses with mushroom escalope, the Osiglia sausage, a renowned delicacy, prepared either drowned in wine or grilled. We certainly cannot forgo tasting the legendary fazzini, Napoleon's ones... To finish on a sweet note, we enjoy the chestnut bavarois, prepared out of season with chestnuts dried in the so-called tecci, small buildings made of stone. These chestnuts too, delicious, are a Slow Food Presidium, and the next time we come back here, perhaps in autumn, we will try to visit the village's two monumental chestnut trees.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Bar Albergo Alpino Via Rossi, 8 Osiglia (SV) Tel.: 019/542090