Piantè Magg

An ancestral ritual in the heart of the Roero

The Piantè Magg is one of the oldest and most evocative rural traditions of the Roero area, renewed every May 1st in the hamlet of San Rocco, part of Montaldo Roero, in the province of Cuneo (Piedmont). It is one of the few remaining tree rituals in Piedmont with roots dating back to pre-Christian times: raising the 'May tree' in the center of the square symbolizes the earth's fertility and serves as a wish for an abundant agricultural year.

How the ritual unfolds

A Scots pine, felled in the surrounding woods, is stripped of its bark and branches, then adorned with flowers and colorful ribbons. The highlight is the manual raising: the villagers lift the tree entirely by hand, using ropes, ladders, and guy wires in an exciting challenge between man and nature that demands strength, coordination, and courage. The tree is thus hoisted like an idol to protect and benefit the hamlet.

The Cantè magg and the community

The ritual is accompanied by the Cantè magg, an ancient propitiatory song performed while visiting the hamlet's courtyards, along with a workshop where adults and children learn the songs and traditions. The floral procession, featuring the 'May bride' carrying the erborin (a propitious sprig), crosses the village before the raising. It is a deeply identity-driven festival, carried forward by the youth and volunteers of San Rocco with the support of the Municipality of Montaldo Roero and the Ecomuseo delle Rocche del Roero.

Village festival and conviviality

After the raising, the square comes alive with the brando dance, the serving of wine and sweets, and a lighthearted game where participants try to guess the exact height of the pine. It is an opportunity to rediscover Roero culture and experience firsthand an intangible heritage that binds the community of Montaldo Roero to its rural roots.