Sample text from Autumn in Piemonte ~ Life in the High Valleys ~ Valle dAosta and Valsesia.

The Alps really dominate Piemonte -- on clear days they can be seen from almost anywhere in the region. You can stand in a ricefield near Vercelli and see on the horizon some of the tallest peaks in Europe. Even in the clouds or mist you are aware of their presence, so it is not suprising that despite having some of the flattest land in Italy the Piemontese think of themselves as mountain people.

The idea of life in the mountains is pervasive - rather like the myths of the Wild West in America, the Highland glens of Scotland or the Outback in Australia. You may not live there, you may never even go there, but it is a powerful part of your identity and mental landscape.

To experience this aspect of life in Piemonte we decided to travel to the Val d’Aosta and then go over the range to the Valsesia, a Walser area. This would be a journey into the mountain heartlands of Piemonte...