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Italy: Piedmont (Piemonte)

Overview

Piedmont (the name means the land at the foot of the mountains) contains the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Cuneo, Novara, Turin (Torino, also the name of the regional capital city) and Vercelli. The region has an area of 25,398 sq km (9,807sq mi) and some 4.17 million inhabitants, mostly concentrated in the densely populated industrial plains. Historically, it was the fountain-head of Italian unity at the time of the Risorgimento under the Savoy family and boasts elegant baroque architecture, excellent cuisine (Turin is noted for its chocolate and sweets) and wines, including Barolo, Barbera, Barbaresco, Asti Spumante, Cinzano and Martini. Langhe, a pretty hilly region south of the Po, is famous for its wines, truffles and gastronomy. Along with Val d’Aosta, Piedmont is the least Italian region of Italy, and educated people have traditionally spoken French. Most people also speak the Piedmontese dialect, which has a poetic tradition.

Piedmont is similar in character and climate to its neighbour Lombardy: surrounded by the Alps with vast flat plains, through which flows the River Po. It’s a land-locked region but shares Lake Maggiore with Lombardy. Among the region’s many resort towns are Arona, Stresa and Verbania, while Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta and Viverone on the lake of the same name are picture paradises. The southern zone includes the provinces of Alessandria, where Borsalino hats are made, and Vercelli, a rice-growing area.

Piedmont is part of the industrial triangle formed by Genoa, Milan and Turin and an important economic centre with relatively low unemployment. The region’s major industries are car manufacturing in Turin (FIAT), textiles, wool and clothing (notably high fashion, particularly in the Biella area).

Turin (population 1 million) is a noble and elegant city with fine shops and important museums, and is dominated by the FIAT conglomeration, which has its headquarters there. It’s a relatively wealthy, cosmopolitan city with wide boulevards reminiscent of Paris, although it lacks the charm and sophistication of many of Italy’s other major cities. Turin’s many historic palaces, such as Superga and Stupinigi (which Juvarra designed for the Savoy family), contrast with Art Deco buildings and elegant modern villas with surrounding parklands. Turin is also a centre of pilgrimage, as it’s the home of the Holy Shroud (Sacra Sindone), the cloth in which many believe Christ’s body was wrapped when removed from the cross. Situated near the Alps, Switzerland and the Italian Riviera, Turin is less polluted than Milan.

Piedmont contains many winter sports resorts (mainly in the north-west), including Claviere, Sauze d’Oux and Sestriere, and the Gran Paradiso national park on the border with Val d’Aosta, where the rare ibex can be found.

Property: The architecture is varied, with grey stone houses with slate (ardesia) or stone tiled roofs in mountainous areas. A property at Sauze d’Oux costs around €2,000 per sq m while in Sestriere the same home may be as much as €3,500 per sq m. The Langhe area is more reasonably priced and houses in smaller towns are generally good value. In recent months the purchase of wine estates has become popular among foreign buyers, although whether they make a success of their wine remains to be seen!

Communications: The region has excellent communications and is well served by international trains, motorways and the international airports of Turin, Genoa (Liguria) and Milan.

© Survival Books Limited 2003

“Buying a Home in Italy” 3rd Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Italy” 3rd edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive information about buying a property in Italy, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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