Brother Sun, Sister Nettle – An Afternoon of Alpine Medicinal Herbs

An afternoon among the medicinal herbs of the Varaita Valley

"Brother Sun, Sister Nettle" is a nature-focused event held in Rossana, a mountain village in the Varaita Valley, in the province of Cuneo, in the heart of the Occitan Piedmont. The initiative is curated by Euphytos, an artisanal herbal workshop based in the Bessè hamlet of Rossana, and is part of the rich summer program of the Unione Montana Valle Varaita.

Discovering Alpine plants

The afternoon is an invitation to slow down and observe the flora growing at the foot of Monviso with fresh eyes. Participants are guided through the world of Alpine medicinal herbs, learning to distinguish them, understand their traditional properties, and discover their uses in local herbal culture. The nettle, the star of the title, becomes a symbol of a plant world that is often overlooked but incredibly precious, waiting to be rediscovered with curiosity and respect.

• Audience: Adults and children aged 8 and up
• Duration: Approximately two and a half hours
• Location: Garden of the Casa del Borgo in Rossana

The Canticle of the Creatures in the Varaita Valley

The event is part of a thematic series dedicated to the Canticle of the Creatures, celebrating the eighth centenary of the famous text by Saint Francis of Assisi. The summer program of the Unione Montana Valle Varaita offers dozens of events from June to October, divided into thematic areas dedicated to nature, hiking, cycling, eco-sustainable theater, and workshops for children.

A territory to be experienced

Participating in "Brother Sun, Sister Nettle" also means discovering Rossana and the Varaita Valley, a land of Alpine and Occitan traditions that is part of the Monviso Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. Between hamlets, trails, and flower-filled meadows, the experience combines botanical education, contact with nature, and the promotion of local herbal knowledge in a village that guards an ancient vocation linked to mountain plants and herbs.