Pomaretto is a fascinating centre in the province of Turin in Piedmont located at an altitude of 630.0 meters in the beautiful Germanasca Valley, an Alpine valley that in the past was known by the name of Valle di San Martino which physically represents a sort of branch of the beautiful Val Chisone, valleys that both form a community with their respective names.
The local area characterized by gentle hilly slopes, green plateaus on the slopes of the Cottian Alps boasts picturesque vineyards that produce the excellent Ramiè wine, almond and olive trees that extend to the edges of Perosa Argentina and with elegant villas on the edges of the town.
You can certainly enjoy a wonderful day of tourism fascinated by unique scenic beauty and discovering the famous, aromatic Barathier Herbal Liqueur, local pride and exclusively produced in Pomaretto.
Once you reached this Piedmont centre you can discover the historical-monumental attractions of this center starting with the Catholic Church of San Nicolao which was largely destroyed by the Waldensians in 1593 and finally rebuilt in the 17th century becoming the Parish of Pomaretto.
Flanked by a picturesque whitish bell tower with a gray spire, the building was erected on a quadrangular plan and on the beautiful, wide façade you can see an inscription in Latin with the following digits: Rex Amedeus II Erexit MDCCXVII.
Along the same artery stands the Waldensian Temple built between 1826 and 1828 by concession of King Charles Felix of Savoy with economic aid from his friend Tsar Alexander I of Russia.
This religious building replaced the one in the Pons hamlet as the religious seat of the Protestant community in total decay, presenting itself with beautiful neoclassical lines, a large tympanum and colonnade and a refined bell tower of late Baroque matrix.
Continuation with a visit to the Ferrero Collection housed in the complex of the Latin School, an exhibition devoted to ancient crafts that represents a small miniature world with a theme closely linked to local life and culture , exhibiting about 150 models carved in boxwood with the activities practiced by the mountaineers of Pomaretto such as agriculture, breeding, handicrafts and work in the talc mines.
In the same building is the Patuà Library, linked, as the name suggests, to that Franco-Provençal language of ancient origin widely spoken by the entire community , representing a sort of body of protection for the native culture by providing books, archives, CDs, video clips to the point of consolidating itself as a solid point of reference for many inhabitants of the Germanasca Valley and neighboring valleys as well as being a destination for linguists and tourists who wish to learn more about the origins of this centuries-old Occitan language.
At the end of the visit I recommend visiting the local company producing the famous Barathier Herbal Liqueur, a denomination dating back to 1905 but previously known since the late 1800s as Amaro Cozie linked to the local Western Alps group with a certificate written in French in 1902, a language spoken fluently in Val Germanasca.
This original drink of Pomaretto was elaborated at the beginning of the production activity purely for family consumption and later spreading its marketing first locally and then regionally, reaching the important Turin market and sold in numerous wine shops in the Piedmontese capital.
Belonging to the category of non-distillates with P.A.T. recognition, a certificate that names and protects traditional Italian agri-food products, the Barathier Herbal Liqueur is created from seven different qualities of herbs and flowers collected spontaneously in the Germanasca, Chisone, Pellice and Susa valleys at an altitude between 1500 and 2600 meters and then carefully selected and subsequently dried.
The following operation consists of macerating them in alcohol and water by immersing them in non-porous glass or steel containers without distillation characteristics so as not to destroy the numerous active ingredients that will make up the typical and characteristic aroma of the elixir.
Everything will be left to soak for a period of between 35 and 40 days, then moving on to the finishing by adding other doses of alcohol, crystalline sugar and spring water, clear, insipid, not very hard, fundamental characteristics so as not to alter the product.
There are two versions that are distinguished by color, one with a straw yellow hue and the other the most popular, original and loved by consumers with a dark brown shade, a result generated by the addition of sugar caramel.
The alcohol content is 20.0 degrees, with a rather bitter flavor at the first taste but at the same time refined on the palate.
Although all this in a few seconds the flavor transforms as if by magic pleasant and warm with an aromatic tendency partially similar to Angelica, a plant that is part of the Apiaceae and then tasting it you will notice sensations of walnut aroma mixed with licorice.
Time for lunch of the day, I recommend remaining in local traditions first courses to choose between Agnolotti with Cheese or Risotto with Ramiè, among the second courses option between Grilled Sliced Veal with a side of Roasted Potatoes l'rosemary or Baked Trout with Green Sauce with boiled vegetables.
A visit to Pomaretto is very recommended to all those who wish to discover a beautiful corner of the province of Turin where art and history blend harmoniously with spectacular Alpine and Pre-Alpine landscapes, also getting to know a product of excellence such as the Barathier herb elixir.
Link - https://www.comune.pomaretto.to.it/
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation in the area
Hotel Ristorante Chiabriera
B&B La Ciuenda
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