The small village of Pizzogreppo
(in the village's dialect called "h-a") lies amidst
ancient larch forests, at an altitude
of 3415 meters (11204 feet), in the middle of an immaculate encircling
chain of alpine tops perennially covered
with snow.
The population of the country is estimated in 112 inhabitants
(February 2007) even if it has not been possible to take a census
since Septimius Severus' age.
The villagers are named "pizzogreppese", even if in
the dialect they are defined "he-ì".
The economy of the country is since centuries based on the cultivation
of larch (called in dialect "h"),
on the picking of the larch cones
(called in dialect "h-h") and on the picking of dead rock-goats fallen from the surrounding
mountain tops.
Handicraft
The pizzogreppese handicraft uses as a raw material the larch
wood, which is carved by the skillful local sculptors with the
traditional technique by blows with the heads and punchs. The
most represented subject is the cube, but
also the wooden ball and the pancake
can be found in every store of the country, if you only succeeded
in finding an open one. An old craftsman of the village, Aldo
Oi, known as "òi", tried in 1912 to make a crucifix
in larch wood for the parochial church, but after having barked
the first log by the head, he had a nervous breakdown and retired
into himself.
What to see
The main square of the village bears the dialectal name of "hàa",
meaning "larch square" and is occupied by a majestic
stone pine.
The parochial church was built up in 1300, and it was entirely
reconstructed in larch wood, after the fire of 1301 that destroyed
it completely.
The furnishings of the church, from the walls covering to the
altar, from the confessional to the benches, are in pvc imitating
larch wood.
Popular festivities
and traditions
The pizzogreppese summer, due to the extreme discretion of the
inhabitants, occurs all within the private houses, whose doors
normally are not opened neither as the bailiff knocks. Until 1987
the village's main square was constantly animated by the discreet
presence of the old mayor, Ugo Ui, known as "ùi",
until when it became clear that he had freezed to death in the
winter of 1948, although he had been uninterruptedly re-elected
for all those years.
In winter Pizzogreppo retires into itself, due to the rigorous
temperatures and the lack of larch needles,
therefore traditional fairs or festivities are not carried out.
At Easter in the villagers exchange the traditional wooden eggs,
named in dialect "huò", decorated with larches
and firs drawings.
For Christmas the Pizzogreppeses exchange the traditional wooden
logs painted in brown, named in dialect "hn", and which
pass from hand to hand since the Carolingian age.
Gastronomy
Pizzogreppo cooking is typically alpine. In winter the meal is
opened by the "hùa" (very hot larch soup), and
in summer by th "hù-a" (hot larch soup). Between
the main courses we can mention the "hm", rock-goats
horns stew with larch-shavings,
"hié", rock-goat manure rissoles
with larch sawdust and "hg", eagle
eggs omelette with rock-goat
milk cheese.
Entertainment
The traditional pastime of the village consists in counting
the circles of the knocked-down larches, or counting the knocked-down
larches or, as an extreme sport, counting the still standing larches.
Welcome
The discreet character of the inhabitants sometimes prevents to
appreciate their bashful courtesy. It seems that in 1962 a traveller
could catch a glimpse of one of the inhabitants of the village,
just before he barricaded himself again in the house. Since then
who reaches the small village in summer can take refuge in temporary
shelters or, if he arrives there in winter, then dies.
How to get there
Pizzogreppo does not have a railway station, in effects it does
not have neither roads, The gps maid, as the name of the village
is marked, begins to cry: "no! no! I don't want! Please,
don't take me THERE!".
Contacts
The Pizzogreppo tourist office is on the village's main square,
but it is closed.
page
last updated: May 10th 2009