Almost three and a half centuries of timber, stone, work and silence. Casalpina has changed more than once, but it has never stopped being a home.
From the earliest traces in 1680 to the contemporary restoration. We do not know every detail about the people who lived here, but the structure, inscriptions and materials tell enough to follow the house through time.
The first Walser settlers reached Gressoney around 1100, crossing the Felik and Lys passes. The first traces of Casalpina date to a few centuries later, around 1680. It was built precisely to make survival at high altitude possible for its inhabitants and their animals, bringing the dwelling, stable and crop storage together under one roof.
In 1735 the house was reorganised: the roof was raised and the ridge beam replaced to make room for a larger granary. Around 1900, the adjoining building was then constructed, with a bedroom, a cellar and a large stable with hayloft.
Around 1980 the house was abandoned. The family moved to Turin and the building fell out of use. For decades it remained almost empty. In a way, that silence is exactly what protected it from overly invasive alterations. Then, in 2020, our family decided to move here to Gressoney. On a walk, we fell in love with the view and decided to give the house a new life.
In 2021 the bio-building restoration began. The materials guided the work: reclaimed original larch, natural plasters, clay, stone, cocciopesto and underfloor heating. The aim was not to make it new, but to bring it back to life while respecting its essence.
The house once again has a name and a daily life. A couple with their three children — the third born during the building work — are joined by a family of rabbits, fourteen hens and a dog: Zelda. The Casalpina mark comes from the mountain itself: essential, timeless and tied to Gressoney since 1680.
Today Casalpina welcomes travellers from all over the world. It has not become a museum: it simply continues to do what it has always done — be a home.
In the past, the ground floor housed animals, hay and much of the farmers’ work during the coldest months. People lived on the first floor. Higher up, in the Stadel, was the Spichel, the storage area in Titsch. Each level had a clear purpose.
Its position reflects old mountain wisdom. Casalpina is among the last houses in the valley to lose the sun, enjoys an open view and is protected by the slope beside it, which also shelters it from avalanches.