|
|
 |
Eating in refuges
|
| Almost all the Italian mountain resorts offer the possibility to stay in the refuges, a particularly traditional and pleasant type of hospitality. Surrounded by the silence and the breathtaking views of the neighbouring valleys, one can stop to have lunch, dinner or stay for the whole night in a cheerful and convivial atmosphere. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A WARM AND FAMILIAR ATMOSPHERE |
|
|
It often takes a few hours to reach Alpine refuges; in winter it can call for the use of skis, although many are linked to the valley below by ski lifts, allowing even those who wish to avoid exertion to reach the top without difficulty.
The atmosphere in the refuges is noisy and informal. Everyone eats lunch and dinner together, at a single large table or in groups at wooden benches. In this way, guests get to know each other and often the evenings continue with singing and chatting around the fire leading into the small hours. The owners are the hosts, and are almost always made up of a group of friends or families who share out all the tasks, from the cooking to the administration. Sometimes they are ex-mountaineers, real lovers of the mountains who are able to recommend panoramic routes for the best walks in the area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DRINKING TOASTS AND SINGING |
|
|
Alpine refuges almost always feature wooden furnishings, and always offer a good selection of flavoursome local dishes and simple snacks. Generally speaking, the same dinner is served to all guests with a limited choice of one or two dishes. Dinner starts with an antipasto of the region's cured meats and cheeses, followed by polenta (made with maize flour), stews, roasts or game according to the season and availability of products. The cuisine is robust and flavoursome, and is accompanied by house wines and more importantly, by a vast selection of grappa and distillates with which the dinner is always concluded. Generally, one round is on the house, which is then followed by at least a couple of toasts or, as is the case in the Val d'Aosta, the hosts pass around the traditional grolla, a mix of boiling coffee, sugar and liquor that guests take turns to sip from the wooden container's spouts.
The evening often winds up with singing; the boldest lead the way, with the result that everyone gets involved. At times the owners themselves entertain guests with tales of climbs or excursions, whether done by themselves or just tales told by passing guests over the years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SLEEPING AT HIGH ALTITUDE |
|
|
The refuges came about to offer wayfarers the possibility to eat and spend the night: in the mountains, the weather conditions can often be difficult and the refuge becomes an essential point of reference. For the most part, accommodation is basic in rooms with a number of beds, although in some cases there are romantic rooms in wood for two. Guests arrive at the refuge either on foot or with the last run of the ski lifts (generally before 5pm) and stay until the next day, isolated by a silence that is unreal. The next day sees an early start with a hearty breakfast of fresh milk and homemade cakes.
There are also unattended refuges; for these it is necessary to request the keys from the sections of the Club Alpino Italiano or the organisation owning the buildings. They are generally equipped with cooking facilities, light and at times, basic food products. It is obviously necessary to clean the cooker and floors, fold covers and take rubbish away on leaving the refuge.
|
|
|
|
|
