A mechanical engineer by trade, I relocated to Piedmont, in the north west part of Italy in 2003. The farm house was susequently restored, and three comfortable self contained holiday apartments were constructed in the adjacent barns...www.piedmont-holidays.com was born!!!







The house is called Cascina Ciapolin. "Cascina" is the Italian word for "farmhouse" while "Ciapolin" is a word taken from the local dialect...but the translation remains a mystery!!! Dried tomatoes...a traditional board game played with stones... have all been suggested by the locals...but the mystery remains!!!







Piedmont literally translates as "foot of the mountains" and the mountains in question are the Alps! This region has Turin as its capital, renowned as the base of the Fiat car company. I live in the small village of Cossano Belbo, between the two cities of Alba and Asti.






The two words synonymous with this area are "Barolo" and "the white truffle", but the area has much more to offer than just these two gems!!! More of which later...