Bobbio Pellice ~ hidden treasures

RENOVATING

“A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid”

J.R.R Tolkien

Our home in Bobbio Pellice has a tiny circular window high up on the crest of the roof line. Although I searched I couldn’t find it inside. My husband being a little more inventive worked out that it must be over the second bedroom.

Pushing the ceiling panels he soon found the secret opening and a loft filled with hidden treasures documenting the history of the house.

Using on old handmade wooden ladder Sam and Carina braved the loft and were soon passing down ancient baskets, round green bottles, an old stirrup, a partially made boot, a leather suitcase, old magazines from the 50’s, a hand drawn map with a child’s writing…..each hidden treasure a window into the lives led here.

and the gang x

24 replies

Vicki Archer says:
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What treasures you have found Lisa… and that ladder… not for me… 🙂
This is amazing what you and your family are doing and experiencing… thank you for sharing your adventures with all of us…
Have a wonderful weekend… xv
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Vicki thanks so much for that I feel as if I have stepped into another world. Everyday is now an adventure and my mind is a whirl trying to keep up with it all. I have so many stories to tell and we are putting together another site to start sharing the local tales. Wonderful people and living history! I am in love….can you tell? ciao xxx
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Heather in Arles says:
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Lisa! Each post is more special than the last!!! These treasures make me dream…and what a story they tell. So lovely.
xo,
Heather
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  The stories are just flowing here and I struggle to keep up with them all, even a simple walk in the mountains turned into something spectacular x
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Janine says:
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I am feeling very honoured to be observing such sacred moments. Unpacking the contents of your roof space…. you must have felt like you were handling some very precious relics. Even writing this I can imagine how amazing it must have been. Your new home is sublime. I would feel quite in seventh heaven. With love, Jx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Carina found a tiny envelope with a hand painted card inside. It was from a christening over 50 years ago. Yes I do feel very close to the old man who lived here finding these things hidden away. The entire area is like stepping back in time, the people here are born and bred in the borgata, and are so friendly and keen to share the stories of the past. Now I have to become fluent as it’s driving me nuts having to rely on Sam to ask questions LOL xxx sending love x
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Catherine says:
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So lovely, all these treasures. It is so enriching to have a house that breathes. I remember when we first bought this place we found ‘moneghe’, used to warm up freezing beds in Veneto. They’re up in our portico now. Looking forward to seeing more shots. Yes, the fresh water is a rare and special thing! Xcat
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh I could use something to warm up the bed right now that’s for sure. I am certainly present while washing dishes here as I need to heat up the water on the stove first LOL x I have so many photos I don’t know where to start x
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Caterina B says:
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Wonderful photos, Lisa.
I love discovering old things left behind and untouched for decades!
That house looks like it’s already livable. Do you have a heat source now?
What an adventure for you and the family. I hope Spring comes soon, too.
I love the name of the town or neighborhood. I am now calling my hubby,( whose real name is Bob,) Bobbio!
Yes…..I say it Boh-Bee-Oh! We like it.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  The house is solid and structurally sound. It’s liveable only for the heating which we will get in asap. A friend here’s father passed away and they are giving us many of his household possessions so we just need to organize a truck and someone to help with the removal. We are waiting for the weather to improve a bit x
  xx
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Belinda says:
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Oh Lisa how very special. They will be gorgeous decorative pieces. I have to ask does the water taste beautiful?
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Belinda the water is incredible and so cold it takes your breath away. We just found another huge basket which we were told was one of a pair that would be used on a donkey. Priceless x
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Lisa Wood says:
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OH gosh…..that experience is not something you can ever get from a Book!! Incredible the things that are waiting for you in your attic. Incredible to see a drawing from a child left there, and those baskets are gorgeous.
I so want to go to Italy after seeing it through your families eyes 🙂
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  It’s just mind boggling Lisa, we were talking with an old lady in her late 80’s who grew up here and she was telling us about the partisans and the Nazi’s coming through the village. So many incredible stories and her family offered to take us with them when they take the cows up the mountains to pasture. It is just spectacular here, I still pinch myself everyday x
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Cathy says:
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Wow Lisa, beautiful pictures and hidden treasures.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Well I have to credit them to my hubby or he’ll disown me, just the scoop one is mine. He does take some wonderful shots and studied commercial photography which is where we met x
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jann says:
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What precious things! Now you can open an antique store, Lisa. I’m surprised you have antique beds like that way up there–I thought they were a Sicilian thing! How incredibly lucky to have water from a fresh spring right in your house. Too divine. I love the stories that old houses tell, and yours is going to talk a lot, I think!!
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  The bed is a treasure and the springs are great. I love the height and the headboard, it will definitely be a feature in the house. The house has huge doors which open onto the road through the borgata and when you push them open you enter the ground floor with huge cantina, area for the animals, a large piza oven, and all kinds of tiny rooms which we will explore further once the power is turned on. Of course we would get a house which talks alot, just like us!! x
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Paola says:
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What precious findings Lisa. And water from the sorgente…..crystal clear and delicious I bet X
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Icy cold and fresh it’s just beautiful. We very soon learn just how precious water and wood are around here, as soon as we tell an Italian we have water from the sorgente flowing through the house the eyes light up!! I showed my hubby your post with the photo of the family cooking between the sheets and he’s going to ask his Mum to take a look xx
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Francesca Muir says:
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This is so exciting Lisa – thank you for sharing. F xx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  It’s nice to know that the history of the place will remain and I hope to frame some of the items xx
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Millie says:
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Amazing, what an incredible experience (especially for the kids), thanks for sharing. xx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  I thought my daughter very brave to climb up with Sam, we might need a sturdier ladder though x
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