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Picnic in the hills of Langhe

Tips and suggestions for your outdoor meal, with recipes and wines

As soon as the weather starts to warm up and the days get longer, people move towards the hills in the Langhe, while searching for the best places, hidden beauties.

Especially those who live in the city look for every good opportunity to surround themselves with nature.

Yet the actual picnic, the noble one with a wicker basket and a cloth, seems to have been replaced by impromptu trips with sandwiches and fresh drinks in the backpack; not many people still organize them as they used to, preparing the necessary in advance and thinking about all the details.

It is a pity, or at least, we consider it an undervalued ritual, one of those things we don’t think about which, however, always surprises us positively.

For this reason we have chosen to dedicate a page to this tradition, in which we hope you will find everything you need to pay homage to the Picnic with a capital “P”.

Picnic 1
1. A cloth and a few delicacies

This are the “musts” for having a great time during an outdoor meal!

The history of picnic

Etymology, art, origins

The name picnic comes from the French words pique (pick, take) and nique (little thing, of little value).

The picnic is a custom so deeply rooted in our life that we often ignore its history, ancient and noble.

The first traces of this custom date back to the seventeenth century, when during hunting trips it was customary to take breaks to regenerate with a few bites on the meadows.

The name picnic derives from the French words pique (spiluccare, to take) and nique (small thing, of little value) and was a noble costume, particularly appreciated by Marie Antoinette in the meadows of Versailles.

As evidence of its popularity, the many paintings - see Manet's "Luncheon on the Grass", but also the versions of Picasso, Botero etc. - representing nobles on the characteristic sheets, with wicker baskets full of snacks.

At the beginning of the 19th century this outdoor meal took on the connotation of a moment of sharing and brotherhood, leading to the birth of the Picnic Society, whose members prepared food to share.

Over the centuries, the picnic has become a popular and common tradition, with versions of all kinds.

History of picnic — beginning of the '600

Did you get everything?

Here is a foolproof checklist so you don’t forget the essentials and organize your picnic in the best possible way!

  • 1

    Let's start with comfort

    Bring a large blanket, even better if with a waterproof layer underneath: it will be very useful to distribute all the containers of your food over it and, later, to take a nap.

  • 2

    Let's move on to the essentials

    Put in your bag immediately: napkins, plates and cutlery, glasses, a knife and a bottle opener. No need to buy them, you can take the ones you use at home!

  • 3

    Let's end with the most obvious thing

    Water: I recommend, if you are trying to decide which drinks and wines to bring, to always consider a large bottle full of fresh water.

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2
3
1. A moment of relax in nature

Picnic isn’t just an outdoor meal, and it doesn’t necessarily require a group of people
2. Prepara il cestino

Il picnic è amato da grandi e bambini: regala sempre un’atmosfera magica.
3. Don't forget the wine!

Your in Langhe after all: even the picnic is a great time for drinking wine

The location

Where should you plan it? In Langhe there's nothing but choices

The beauty of the Langhe is that it is difficult to find places NOT suitable for a picnic: each hill hides at least one panoramic and protected spot in which to place the towel.

Yet sometimes it is even more difficult to choose when the options are too many: Alta Langa, Bassa Langa, Roero? Or maybe even Monferrato … don’t worry!

We have written two articles in which we suggest some of the most appropriate places for an outdoor lunch: some known and popular, others more intimate.

Reminder: precisely because we live in such a splendid place, let’s not forget to respect it, and to allow the next visitors to find it nice and clean!

The perfect recipes for your basket

What to drink

A bottle of good wine refreshes the spirit and makes your picnic complete! The producers helped us select the labels that best suit the occasion!

Discover them all

If you prefer to rely on the experts

You’d like to plan a picnic but you don’t have the time / inspiration to think about all the practical aspects of it? Let us help you with these interesting options. (Italian content only)

Interesting reads for you organize your picnic and visit the area