Valle Vigezzo
Encyclopedia
Valle Vigezzo is a valley in the Lepontine Alps
in northwestern Italy on the border with Canton Ticino
of Switzerland. It forms the eastern branch of the Ossola valley. It is also called the Valle dei Pittori (Valley of the Painters) due to the large number of painters over the centuries. It is remembered for its "spazzacamini" or chimney-sweepers who brought their trade around Europe. It is connected with the Eau de Cologne
, invented over 300 years ago by Giovanni Maria Farina
using, among other ingredients flowers and oils from plants from Vigezzo. Another man from Vigezzo is also credited to be the first recorded person swimming across the English Channel
over 200 years ago, after having been taken prisoner by the British after Waterloo.
The valley itself is unusual for not having a single river running along it, but two, one towards the Toce river (Melezzo Occidentale) and the other (Melezzo Orientale) to the Swiss side towards Lake Maggiore
. The Swiss side of the valley is called Centovalli.
Lepontine Alps
The Lepontine Alps are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy .On the north the upper Rhône valley separate them from the Bernese Alps and the Furka Pass and the upper Reuss valley separates them from the Urner Alps; on the west the Simplon Pass...
in northwestern Italy on the border with Canton Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
of Switzerland. It forms the eastern branch of the Ossola valley. It is also called the Valle dei Pittori (Valley of the Painters) due to the large number of painters over the centuries. It is remembered for its "spazzacamini" or chimney-sweepers who brought their trade around Europe. It is connected with the Eau de Cologne
Eau de Cologne
Eau de Cologne or simply Cologne is a toiletry, a perfume in a style that originated from Cologne, Germany. It is nowadays a generic term for scented formulations in typical concentration of 2-5% essential oils. However as of today cologne is a blend of extracts, alcohol, and water...
, invented over 300 years ago by Giovanni Maria Farina
Johann Maria Farina
thumb|Johann Maria Farina 1685-1766Giovanni Maria Farina was an Italian perfume designer and maker, born on 8 December 1685, in the town of Santa Maria Maggiore...
using, among other ingredients flowers and oils from plants from Vigezzo. Another man from Vigezzo is also credited to be the first recorded person swimming across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
over 200 years ago, after having been taken prisoner by the British after Waterloo.
The valley itself is unusual for not having a single river running along it, but two, one towards the Toce river (Melezzo Occidentale) and the other (Melezzo Orientale) to the Swiss side towards Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
. The Swiss side of the valley is called Centovalli.
Main peaks
- Pizzo la Scheggia (2466 m)
- Pioda di Crana (2430 m)
- Pizzo Ragno (2289 m)
- Cima della Laurasca (2193 m)
- Monte Gridone (2167 m)