sauris (Zahre)
A village where the mountains still feel real
Sauris is nature, wood and ancient gestures that have endured. A place that invites you to slow down: to walk, breathe, listen to the story of a valley that has remained precious, and feel, even if only for a few days, a little lighter.
A small linguistic island
The history of Sauris
Legend has it that Sauris was founded in the mid-13th century, when two young soldiers arrived in the valley. What we do know for certain, however, is that its first inhabitants came from a valley somewhere between Carinthia and Tyrol, around that same time.
For centuries, life here followed the rhythms of the Alpine environment: summer pastures, hay and timber, and in winter journeys down to the valley to barter goods, while weaving became one of the defining activities of the colder months.
Today, Sauris is home to around 400 people, who carry forward some of its traditional activities in a contemporary way (from craftsmanship to the production of cured meats and cheeses) while also preserving a form of hospitality on a genuinely human scale, rooted in respect for a precious landscape that, even after centuries, remains intact.
THE HEART OF SAURIS
Flavours and craftsmanship
There is a time for curing and ageing: the time of Sauris PGI Ham, mountain cheeses, craft beer and honey. Here, these are not simply “products”: they are part of everyday history.
And then there is the time of skilled hands: worked wood, traditional weaving, the Carnival masks. Patient gestures, handed down and still alive today, because in Sauris traditions are not only told, they are lived.
Seasons and celebrations
Sauris changes with the seasons, and some celebrations have become true landmarks of the year.
Small events which, taken together, tell the story of a village that does not perform: it simply lives.
- Sauris Carnival (Der Zahrar Voschankh): includes an evocative night-time walk through the forest by lantern light, a deeply felt tradition unlike any other.
- Festa del Prosciutto (Sauris in Festa): a summer event in the village dedicated to Sauris ham.
- Festa del Formaggio: held in Lateis
- Summer concerts by Zahrarmonie
- Christmas markets (“In der Zahre seint de Bainachn”): traditionally held around the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, through the streets and courtyards of the village.