A Weekend at the Castle's Court: A Trip to Orsara Bormida

Once upon a time there was a bear called Sangiutén. He lived with his family in one of the many caves in the territory of Orsara Bormida and worked the land. Some time earlier Sangiutén had been in France, where he had learned the art of making wine, and once back home he had started growing vines together with his relatives. Between one hoeing and the next he would often stand up among the rows and let his gaze range over the hilly landscape, admiring its wild and authentic charm. After the days of work he would rest, enjoying the good bread prepared by the she-bears of the house, who spread excellent honey on it. In the surrounding villages, from Acqui to Ovada, everyone talked about the bears who made wine, and one fine day a delegation came to visit them, asking to be able to learn how to plant vines in exchange for teaching the bears how to make agnolotti del plin.

Deal done: after this agreement, sealed with a good feast of agnolotti in wine, vine growing spread throughout Monferrato. We arrive in Orsara Bormida ideally following in the footsteps of these likeable legendary bears, told in a poem by Elisabetta Ferrari, and as, bend after bend, we reach the oldest nucleus of the village, once truly populated by Sangiutén's relatives, we are left open-mouthed at the sight of the beauty of the landscape. Until the Middle Ages the village formed part of a vast territory known as the "grande Nemus", that is an immense forest furrowed by streams and crossed by sporadic and impervious mule tracks. The place began to change its face from 179 BC with the Roman presence, and later developed its ancient medieval settlement, surrounded by fields, meadows, vegetable gardens and vineyards.

The first written record relating to the village is found in a document of 1155, but by that time the lookout tower of the present castle had already dominated the surrounding valleys for over a hundred and fifty years. The first parish church, dedicated to Saint Martin, was built in 1276, while today's religious building is a Baroque structure erected in the 17th century, into which part of an ancient oratory was incorporated, traces of which are still visible in the Rosary chapel. Besides the precious works of art preserved inside the church, also of great importance is the fresco that adorns its facade and depicts Saint Martin of Tours: it is the work of Pietro Ivaldi, known as the Mute of Toleto, a famous nineteenth-century painter originally from the nearby village of Ponzone.

The timeless beauties of Orsara continue to inspire artists, perhaps the best known of whom is Beppe Ricci, a painter who has translated his love for his own village into numerous paintings that have taken part in various exhibitions both in Italy and abroad. After this fine tour among the little streets of the historic centre we head for the highest point of the village, where, immersed in a park of centuries-old trees, stands the castle of Orsara Bormida. Born from a square lookout tower around the year 1000, following the Saracen raids it was enlarged and transformed into a castle, initially with the addition of a second octagonal tower, followed, in the 18th century, by the construction of a small cylindrical turret.

Today the manorial residence is part of the Castelli Aperti circuit, and its complex also includes the ancient oratory of the Most Holy Annunciation, dating back perhaps to the 12th century. The religious building, in Lombard-Romanesque style, preserves inside precious stuccoes and seventeenth-century frescoes, a reminder of the time when, until 1676, it was the parish church of the village. Admiring the panorama that opens from here, we naturally fantasise about those times when princes and princesses arrived on horseback at the castle, travelling along the scenic road that leads up to the ricetto.

This time our dream soon becomes reality, and although we did not arrive on horseback, during our holiday we have the chance to tread in the footsteps of the castle dwellers of old: our home for this long weekend is in fact the B&B La Corte del Castello, a wonderful property created a few months ago in an old farmhouse that is part of the castle. Welcoming us with great kindness is Angelo, the owner who with daily care and dedication has created this corner of peace. "The foundations of the castle date back to Roman times, while the rooms where the B&B is today were once, it seems, part of the stables," he explains as we enter through a splendid courtyard full of flowers and embraced by the ancient walls adorned with lace-like stonework.

Looking up we can admire a centuries-old oak, while from the courtyard, where a well still in use also underlines the charm of times gone by, a view opens over the surrounding hills and vineyards that to call it breathtaking would be an understatement. "There you can see our neighbour, the castle of Morsasco, which they say was once connected to Orsara through underground tunnels. Looking towards Savona you can make out the heights of Monte Beigua, while on the other side, in good weather, the peaks of the Alps stand out against the sky," Angelo explains. We settle in, occupying two of the three spacious rooms, each of which can accommodate two people.

Bright, large and furnished with style and taste, with furniture and beautiful fabrics capable of evoking the fairy-tale atmospheres of times gone by, the rooms are charming places of rest to be appreciated especially after long and healthy walks in the area. Our days in fact pass between pleasant walks and mountain bike rides discovering a territory of spectacular charm in every season, but we also devote a day to visiting the nearby towns, in particular Acqui Terme, combining a relaxing spa session with the discovery of its artistic beauties. After our outings, it fills us with joy to be able to immerse ourselves in the splendour of the garden of our residence.

Sipping an infusion seated at a pretty little table in the greenery while admiring gigantic zinnias whose colours stand out among the thousand shades of green and blue of the panorama, or picking strawberries, raspberries or even apricots, are many small and great experiences capable of helping us find ourselves again and savour a truly human-scale life. Here you enjoy every moment of the day, including the morning, made almost a moment of celebration thanks to the abundant breakfast. Everyone can choose according to their own tastes, and even our coeliac friend and her vegan husband delight in a breakfast made to measure for them. On our table arrive treats of every kind: from coffee with milk to tea and herbal teas, as well as bread, biscuits, cakes, honey and organic jams.

Those who prefer savoury enjoy a nice soft-boiled egg as well as hams and cheeses and exquisite zero-kilometre vegetables. Here the days begin in style and continue without hurry and without stress, with healthy rhythms capable of making you appreciate even the little things: a freshly picked raspberry, a bit of honey, a flower that brightens the garden. If the little bear Sangiutén were to return to the village one day, he would certainly be happy to find so many beautiful and pleasant things. We do not know whether he intends to come back here, but we certainly do, and we will do so at the first possible opportunity.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

contact@lacortedelcastello.info La Corte del Castello B&B Via Castello, 11 Orsara Bormida (AL) 331/4961821 Facebook: Lacortedelcastello Bedandbreakfast