Enfleurage – Stories of Life, Travel, and Scents
Three days of alpine migration, memory, and fragrance in Borgata Norat, Roccabruna
About Enfleurage
A festival bridging alpine memory and the scents of Grasse
Enfleurage – Stories of Life, Travel, and Scents takes its name from an ancient flower essence extraction technique, using it as the thread to weave together a weekend dedicated to the historical migrations between Piedmont and Provence. The festival takes place in Borgata Norat, Roccabruna, in the Maira Valley, in the heart of the Cuneo Province. This stone village, accessible via ancient trails, serves as a natural stage to tell the stories of those who left their homes and loved ones to seek their fortune elsewhere.
The theme: from Roccabruna to Grasse
The festival addresses the theme of migration across the Alps with a special focus on the French town of Grasse, the world capital of perfume, where many people from Cuneo found work in the perfume industry. Cinema, books, theatre, and music intertwine to restore memory and identity to an alpine valley that saw emigration as a common destiny for many families. Topics also include the true story of the fifteen Italian waiters who served in the first-class restaurant on the Titanic, led by maître d' Luigi Gatti.
What to expect
- Film screenings at the Chapel of San Magno;
- Book presentations and meetings with historians and anthropologists;
- Theatrical performances and live music;
- Experiential workshops on the art of perfumery, including activities for children;
- A guided excursion through the hamlets and a market of knowledge and scents.
Borghi Ritrovati
Enfleurage was created as part of the Borghi Ritrovati (Rediscovered Villages) project, funded by the PNRR (Mission 1, Component 3 – Investment 2.1) and promoted by the municipalities of San Damiano Macra (lead partner), Roccabruna, and Cartignano, in collaboration with AFP Dronero and CeST APS. It is an opportunity to rediscover the fragrant roots of the Maira Valley and experience the village of Norat as a vibrant space for culture, hospitality, and collective storytelling in the municipality of Roccabruna and the wider Piedmontese province.
Enfleurage — edition 2026
For three days, Borgata Norat in Roccabruna, in the Maira Valley, became the heart of Enfleurage – Stories of Life, Travel, and Scents, with a rich programme alternating screenings, meetings with historians and anthropologists, theatrical performances, live music, experiential workshops on the art of perfumery, and a market of knowledge. The common thread: the memory of alpine migrations and the bond between the valleys of Cuneo and the perfumeries of Grasse.
Programme Enfleurage 2026
Friday, May 22
- 21:00 — Screening of the film Quei piemontesi sul Titanic (directed by Pierluca Costa) at the Chapel of San Magno: the true story of fifteen Italian waiters who boarded the Titanic.
Saturday, May 23
- 15:30 — Presentation of the book Da Roccabruna a Grasse. Contributo per una storia dell'emigrazione cuneese nel sud-est della Francia, with historian Renata Allio (University of Turin).
- 16:30 — Talk In the Kaleidoscope of Migrations with anthropologist Dionigi Albera, an expert on mobility and alpine communities.
- 18:30 — Theatrical performance Carte mute by the Il Milione company, with Pietro De Nova and Maurizio Zucchi.
- 19:30 — Aperitif dinner hosted by the Pro Loco of Roccabruna.
- 20:45 — Live music with Baklava Klezmer Soul.
Sunday, May 24
- 8:30 — Guided hike from Borgata Sant'Anna to Borgata Norat (approx. 2.4 km, 230 m elevation gain).
- 10:00 — Children's workshop Aromatic Felt! to create scented spheres.
- 10:00-17:00 — Market of knowledge and scents: aromatic plants, books, soaps, and essences.
- 14:30 — Perfumer's Atelier: The art of violet perfume, hosted by Múses – European Academy of Essences (for adults).
- 16:30 — Migrant Scents: A world tour in 10 stops with aromatic chemist Andrea Cavallero, trained in Grasse.
- 17:30 — Presentation From Nourat to... Stories of migrants with Renato Lombardo.
- 18:30 — Return hike to Sant'Anna.
Highlights Enfleurage 2026
Prices Enfleurage 2026
Practical information — Enfleurage
Getting there
Borgata Norat is located in the municipality of Roccabruna (Postal Code 12020), in the Maira Valley, Cuneo Province. By car, it can be reached from Dronero by heading up the valley; the village is situated along ancient stone paths, and the final sections must be covered on foot.
Admission and bookings
Admission to all events is free. Some workshops (particularly those on perfumery and children's activities) require booking due to limited space; please email [email protected].
Information
For the programme and updates, visit the Maira Valley Borghi Ritrovati project website (www.borghiritrovativallemaira.it).
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Where does it take place — Enfleurage
Borgata Norat
Borgata Norat, 12020 Roccabruna