Limone Living December 2021-January 2022

limone living Issue 4 | December 2021 -January 2022

ENJOYING LIFE IN THE ITALIAN ALPS

GO TO THE TOP! TOP OF THE LINE EQUIPMENT AND SKIWEAR AT BOTTERO SKI

www.botteroski.com

DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022

limoneliving

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Local Interviews

Michelin Star Awarded

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Three questions for Limone's local businesses. What's their perspective?

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La Famiglia LImone's Marta Bassino new film about her journey as a skiing champion.

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ENJOYING LIFE IN THE ITALIAN ALPS

Ristorante Il Nazionale receives the coveted gourmet Michelin Star!

A National Tradition

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The mystery of the national tradition of panetonne prepared by Osteria Il Bagatto.

Culture & Music

Editor's Note Featured Stories

ON THE COVER & INSIDE COVER Limone village

by Sergio d'Angelo

Published by REALINVEST Editor In Chief: Luca Catalano Editor: Juanita Viale Design: Juanita Viale

Limone's torch lighting ceremony La Fiaccolata lights up the night sky.

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All inquiries: l.catalano@realinvest.co.uk

www.limoneturismo.it

EDITOR'S NOTE

Welcome back to Limone!

BY

LUCA

CATALANO

There is so much excitement in the air here in Limone as the ski resort is finally open, after a long and challenging wait due to the Covid pandemic and the after effects of Storm Alex which had damaged the direct route from Limone to France.

It is for this reason that in this edition, I took some of my personal time to check in with some of our local businesses to see how they are doing after all that has happened in the last year. It is so important to stay connected as a community, because together we are stronger!

The good news is that it is all positive!

As with every storm that passes, the sun comes out again. And the entire village of Limone, local business owners and residents are so happy to welcome visitors again to do what we do best: Ski, Eat and Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy this winter edition of Limone Living and together we celebrate our beloved village, its natural beauty, the skiing, snowboarding, delicious Italian cuisine, the music, the local events, the people, and of course the snow!!

Welcome back to Limone!!

LUCA

CATALANO,

DIRECTOR

ALL

THE

REALINVEST

BEST

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LTD

YOU!

local interviews

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT THIS SEASON?

by Luca Catalano

Interview ANDREA MACARIO

RELAIS led

NAZIONALE

#1 What are your expectations for this winter ski season?

They can only be positive. Booking inquiries for accommodations are moving very well, we have practically filled what are the high season periods and we are receiving good feelings for the season as a whole.

It will be a nice challenge: we will have to better manage new situations than those we remember from the last season (2019/2020), starting with the cumbersome presence of COVID 19 which forces us to adapt our companies to new and different working contexts.

#2 What are your thoughts on the recovery work carried out following Storm Alex?

I believe that reasoning must be made on different levels. First of all, analyze the situation of the ski area: the efforts made by RISERVABIANCA are bearing the hoped-for results. After the flood, conditions were certainly not the most optimistic but last summer extraordinary interventions were made that not only allowed the situation to be reestablished, but also improved it.

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On the other hand, the access is a challenge.

Again I am positive. I firmly believe that the train can become the preferred connection for visitors to our localities. It inherently has enormous advantages: tranquility in the journey, capacity in reaching the center of the country, not having to think about parking the car or worrying about sudden snowfalls.

We had a big shortage of the number of trains but, the regions (Piedmont and PACA) have acknowledged the requests by strengthening the connections with 6 trains in both directions.

The locations are also on a human scale, the shuttles allow you to reach the ski slopes, we as an accommodation facility, offer the service free of charge during the opening hours of the lifts, several taxis are available and are then making contact with rental companies in order to also offer the car sharing service.

#3 Would you like to tell us a summary of the initiatives / events you are planning for the 2021/2022 winter season?

Reaching the MICHELIN STAR for the Il Nazionale Restaurant is no small challenge. The attention and expectations of clients will certainly grow and it will therefore be a busy season.

The staff is motivated, the cellar is full, the winter season always gives us emotions such as, for example, the white truffle of Alba. All that remains is to open the doors to every service as it has always been done.

As for the "Bottega Nazionale", on the other hand, we are planning some "tasting events" we will begin on 7 December with the tasting of local excellences

Andrea Macario, with his family, carries on the tradition of hospitality in the territory of Limone Piemonte, more precisely in Vernante, a few kilometres from the center of the ski resort (6 minutes by car).

Over time, the Macario family have had the ability to innovate, starting from a small restaurant with accommodation to arrive today with a complete and varied proposal: Il Nazionale: a restaurant that this year achieved a Michelin star Two small hotels, the first a 3-star family hotel, the second a boutique hotel with 8 rooms and a mountainstyle wellness center A mountain bistro A shop with the production of bakery products, ice cream and cafeteria.

in collaboration with the "Agrimontana" company.

Each month, meetings with producers and refiners of high-end products of the local gastronomy will be scheduled.

Il Nazionale Michelin Star Chefs Fabio Ingallinera and Maurizio Macario

Interview DONATELLA & ELIO BOTTERO

Donatella Bottero, Bottero Ski

BOTTERO SKI #1 What are your expectations for this winter ski season?

It is difficult to answer, given that the Covid spread issue is still a potentially significant variable. If there are no restrictions, as the Lift SPA also told the press, there are good expectations of an opening on December 8, as per tradition (perhaps even sooner if more snow falls).

In general I have noticed that people show that they want to put their skis back on their feet, and already in the last autumn weekends was excitement and, even if 'reachable' from France is not ideal, we have seen a good flow of customers. to BotteroSki shops from the French Riviera, Monaco and Sanremo.

#2 WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RECOVERY WORK CARRIED OUT FOLLOWING STORM ALEX? The municipality of Limone has done a lot with the resources it had available, the plant company has worked hard towards opening almost all of the plants. It seems to me that the Limonesi have teamed up and - in the last few weeks - we have finally been able to see the resumption of work in the Tende tunnel.

And finally, I am really pleased that an agreement has also been reached to set up the Tende/ Limone shuttle train and return which from 12 December 2021 will make it much easier to reach Limone also from the French side. I am optimistic!

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Elio Bottero, Bottero Ski

#3 Would you like to tell us a summary of the initiatives / events you are planning for the 2021/2022 winter season?

In the hope of actually being able to organize the events, BotteroSki will undoubtedly be the promoter of the BotteroSki Cup, a large semicompetitive initiative that involves an everincreasing number of ski enthusiasts and the endof-season Gigantissimo in collaboration with Stefano Dalmasso (Steu). For the next few weeks we have organised 7 days called Race Week and dedicated to the ski clubs in the area.

In addition, at our stores it will be possible to find out all the news of the 2021/22 season of equipment and clothing for athletes, buy the material with reserved prices and discuss with the technicians of the manufacturing companies.

Interview

HOTEL FIOCCO DI NEVE LUIGI APREA, DIRECTOR FIOCCO

DI NEVE HOTEL & WHITE LOUNGE

BAR and Restaurant

#1 What are your expectations for this winter ski season?

The expectations for the new winter season are very positive. Surely the government manoeuvres with the super green pass will help us face the season with more serenity without restrictions so that the guests of Limone can fully enjoy the magical winter atmosphere.

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Luigi Aprea, Director Fiocco di Neve Hotel

#3 Would you like to tell us a summary of the initiatives / events you are planning for the 2021/2022 winter season?

#2 WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RECOVERY WORK CARRIED OUT FOLLOWING STORM ALEX? The town has managed to set up initiatives to temporarily plug the closure of the Tende tunnel.

I am thinking of the shuttle train from Tende to Limone which allows our guests to save about 500 km. Signs that the country wants to leave and start offering services again in order to put at ease the people who have chosen this destination, especially the Monegasque clientele that has crowded the village for years.

There are many initiatives we are all developing a series of services both internal to the structure and external such as snowshoeing ski instructors dedicated to our guests lunches in a cabin.

We have set up a collaboration with Monacair for the direct arrival in Limone by helicopter.

We can't wait for everything to start again in a great way.

Fiocco di Neve Relais www.fioccodineverelais.com info@fioccodineverelais.com

White Restaurant & Bart +39 0171 926352 info@whitelimone.com

MARTA

THE MOVIE!!

Local champion Marta Bassino debuts in a film by Salomon, written and directed by Marc Augey, produced by PVS company.

You can view the premier on the Saloman YouTube channel.

Photos by Salomon

For Limone residents it is normal to see the long hair of Marta Bassino flying in the air as she races down the pistes.

One year and 500 hours of filming in the making, Marta Bassino's journey comes to the digital screen in her quest to become an unbeatable skier.

It is a film about her childhood dream and her relentless pursuit of making her way to the top of the mountain as an Alpine World champion The premiere debuted on YouTube on Dec 7th, and you can see all the behind the scenes and a trailer to La Familiglia.

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COMMUNITY

SCUOLA SCI LIMONE

LIGHT UP THE DARKNESS

A rainbow of colours gently gliding down the piste illuminating the night sky...is it an illusion?

The

Fiaccolata is the torch

lighting ceremony that is organized by the ski school of Limone, Scuola Sci Limone, and is one of the local events that truly carries the light and spirit of the Limone community!

A celebration of light representing Limone's shared passion for skiing, nature and community.

Photos Scuola Sci Limone and Riserva Bianca A night of colour, of music, of joy!

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IN CUCINA

Bravissimi!

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THE NEW STAR OF VERNANTE The Macario family and the entire staff of Ristorante Il Nazionale have something special to celebrate this year...a labour of love.

In recognition for their professionalism and gastronomic passion and savoirfaire, the President Luca Chiapella along with members of the executive board of Confcommercio Cuneo and director Manfrinato, awarded the chefs Maurizio Macario and Fabio Ingallinera the prestigious Michelin star.

Located just a few kilometers from Limone (6 minutes by car) this family run restaurant is a must for gourmet food lovers!

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"Reaching the MICHELIN STAR for the Il Nazionale Restaurant is no small challenge."

- Andrea Macario

CHEFS FABIO INGALLINERA E MAURIZIO MACARIO

• DECEMBER-JANUARY

www.ilnazionale.com

2022

Photo by Sergio d'Angelo

AN

ARTISINAL TRADITION Osteria Il Bagatto prepares the prized Italian panettone

Every recipe has a story, and the one of panettone has been a legendary mystery.

This light, airy, yeasted cake full of surprises such as raisins and candied fruit, is known to have originated in Milan. Yet the cake itself is thought to have originated in the Roman empire when the Romans began to sweeten the cake with honey.

ONE LEGEND IS A LOVE STORY...

In 1494 Ughetto degli Atellani was a rich young man who was deeply in love with a young woman Adalgisa whose family was poor and who worked in a bakery.

To win the affection of the young Adalgisa, he created a new bread (named after her father pan del Ton), to impress her and to get her fathers approval, as well as the approval of the Duke of Milan who would have never blessed their marriage otherwise. The bread was a success and Ughetto took Adalgisa’s hand in marriage.

ANOTHER LEGEND IS A STORY OF CHANCE...

When Toni, a cook in the Duke of Milan’s court heard that his boss burned the cake which was being prepared for the Duke of Milan’s (Il Duce) Christmas feast, Toni took the sourdough starter for his own holiday dinner and kneaded it into a rich confection. The duke was delighted and named the bread pan de Toni which more popularly became known as panettone.

Panettone is the most highly celebrated sweet bread during the holiday season and reminds us of how delicious the simple things are when prepared with love, time and attention.

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Luxury Ski Chalets VILLA ALMELLINA ESTATES

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