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Sentiero Giacometti

Alla scoperta della famiglia Giacometti

Foto: Atelier di Diego Giacometti a Parigi © Frédéric BROLLO

"From this valley comes the thought world of Alberto's entire oeuvre - it is important to remember it."

Véronique Wiesinger, former director of the Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti, 17 November 2010.

We all know these long, narrow sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, who was born in Borgonovo, grew up in Stampa and Maloja and moved to Paris in 1922. From France he wrote to his friend Christoph Bernoulli in July 1931: "In 10 days I'm going home." Bergell, which he visited regularly, remained his home to the end.

Stampa was a constant point of reference for four of the most important Swiss artists: Giovanni, Augusto, Alberto and Diego Giacometti. But how was it possible for the mountainous Bergell to produce such a family of artists? It took the sum of several factors: a formative family environment, cultural openness and tolerance, and early encouragement of talent and education. Personal experiences and encounters in the midst of the rugged Bergell mountain landscape are also part of it.

The purpose of the Sentiero Giacometti, which will take you from Borgonovo and San Giorgio to Creista, Samarovan, Coltura, San Pietro, Palü and Stampa, is to convey the impressive paths of these artists. Let yourself be drawn into this fascinating little world of scenes and stories that are so important for twentieth-century art far beyond the country's borders.

Family tree (with portrait photos)
Giovanni Giacometti (1868-1933), painter, father of Alberto, Diego and Bruno
Alberto (1901-1966), draughtsman, painter and sculptor
Diego (1902-1985), furniture designer
Bruno (1907-2012), architect
Augusto (1877-1947) painter
Zaccaria (1893-1970), teacher of constitutional law

A project by Bregaglia Engadin Turismo
Partner institution: Centro Giacometti
Texts: © Marco Giacometti

The chestnut

The fruit of our valley

The sweet chestnut is a very special tree: once brought to Val Bregaglia by the Romans, it found widespread use here. Its nuts ( In Bregaglia there are still four varieties of cestnut: Ensat, Marun, Lüina and Vescuv ) could be used as a staple food, as cereals grew rather sparsely in mountain regions. In addition, the chestnut can be preserved well: In Bregaglia, the fruit is traditionally dried in the "cascine", small smoking huts. In this state they can also be processed into flour.

The various preparations of chestnuts still characterise the Bregaglia cuisine today: sometimes as whole fruits or as tagliatelle in a side dish, in cakes and small pastries as a dessert or fresh from the fire as "Marroni", which characterise the autumn atmosphere everywhere in Switzerland. Today, healthy chestnuts are celebrating a revival in modern cooking: they are gluten-free and suitable for allergy sufferers, and they also contain many vitamins and minerals.

Chestnut Festival

In fall, the Bregaglia Valley celebrates the chestnut festival in 2025 from September 27 to October 19. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the chestnut: Over four weeks there will be interesting guided tours, delicious tastings and varied walks, concerts, readings and lectures about the chestnut.

Chestnut forest

Between Soglio and Castasegna there is the largest chestnut grove in Europe. In spring the trees are in blossom and exude a sweet fragrance, in summer the chestnut crowns provide shade, in autumn the forest delights us with its fruits. If you want to know more about the chestnut, follow the follow the chestnut nature trail, a 60 minute round walk from Castasegna through the Brentan.

The chestnut

In the chestnut groves of the alpine valleys you will find a mixture of different chestnut varieties. This corresponds to the original ambtion of the farming communities to obtain as many different chestnut products as possible.

Chestnut Delight

Everywhere in Bregaglia Valley you can try fine chestnut specialities: In the restaurants you can find delicious pasta, in the pasticcerie fine cakes and everywhere in the small village shops different chestnut products. If you want to try the taste of the valley from home: visit our online shop.

Bregaglia Shop

Didactic trail

Interpretive trail with 16 information panels, which give visitors the opportunity to learn more about the local flora and fauna, the varieties of chestnuts and how they are cultivated.

Sentiero Giacometti

Alla scoperta della famiglia Giacometti

The Giacometti Trail

The artists

The works

The guide

The chestnut

The fruit of our valley

Chestnut Festival

Chestnut forest

The chestnut

Chestnut Delight

Didactic trail