Travelling along the Bormida valley, Torre Bormida appears perched on a ledge, between the river and dense woodland. It is a tiny, compact village which can easily be crossed on foot in just a few minutes. Stone houses, short alleyways, and a secluded feel immediately convey a sense of the place.
To fully explore this area, you need more than just a few hours: it takes days, because every ridge introduces a new view, every lane leads to a different rural hamlet.
Stone terraces and agricultural signs of the past
Among the most distinctive features are the hazelnut dryers, traditional structures used for preserving hazelnuts. These simple yet functional buildings are a crucial part of the production cycle that has shaped the local economy. Their presence reveals a deep-rooted farming expertise, linked to the slow pace of harvesting and processing.
The Torre Bormida area is also home to the SCAU (Unified Agricultural Cultivation System), a cooperative model created to support local production and promote hazelnuts as a key resource and part of the local identity. It is more than just an organisation, it is a concrete example of how the community has chosen to use the land to shape its future.
