Tommaso and Alessia drop everything and go to live in the mountains

The courage to change your life is sometimes the best way to avoid wasting it. This is the state of mind that drove Tommaso D'Errico and Alessia Battistoni to make a radical choice: leaving the comforts of the city (but also its enormous stress) to move permanently to the mountains . So they decided to quit their jobs to live in a remote Alpine village in the Maira Valley, in the province of Cuneo, where they do many things, all with great passion. They farm the land, raise livestock, and tend very special plants. And at the same time, they write books and have a hugely popular Facebook page, where they share their life choices.

Before turning his life upside down, Tommaso, in his forties, was a creative graphic designer and web designer, passionate about photography, drawing, nature, and travel. Alessia, on the other hand, was a biologist by profession and now divides her time between work, gardening, producing homemade food, and caring for pets. At a certain point in their lives, both decided they were tired of being held hostage by the city and claustrophobic office life, so they left a good job without regret and began working freelance. Thus, they embarked on an alternative path , an experience in contact with nature to seek happiness in the rhythm of the seasons. Naturally, to face this new reality, they had to confront an unfamiliar world. This encounter gave rise to tragicomic episodes and situations, born of the need to reconcile the desire for naturalness with a mind shaped and absorbed by modernity.

From this experience, " Al ritmo delle stagioni. Un anno di vita in montagna " (At the Rhythm of the Seasons: A Year of Life in the Mountains) was born, a book that recounts the experiences of these two courageous young people. Written with a healthy dose of self-irony, Tommaso and Alessia recount the reasons that led them to this choice and the difficulties of putting it into practice. By moving to the mountains, they say they found the time and opportunity to nurture their passions and discover new ones, such as growing a vegetable garden, contemplating nature in all its forms, and studying and observing wild animals.

Activities that in the city can only be dreamed of or experienced on the fringes. Furthermore, drawing inspiration from this new reality, they wanted to address highly topical issues such as voluntary degrowth, self-production, the relationship with nature, and the value of time. The hope is that, with their testimony, they will instill the necessary courage in those who have long considered revolutionizing their lives but have struggled to do so. This is also because Tommaso and Alessia's existential revolution aims to contribute to the definition of a current and realistic model for repopulating rural areas, which are too often neglected or even abandoned.

As they continue their journey as mountain farmers and ranchers, witnessing a new way of life, Tommaso and Alessia continue to update their social media accounts. In March 2025, Tommaso published a new book, "I'm Not Afraid of the Wolf," (Edizioni People), which explores the delicate balance between humans and wildlife, seeking a possible path to a happy coexistence. All under the banner of one guiding idea: choosing an alternative life in contact with nature, following the rhythm of the seasons.

The photos are taken from the Facebook page “ Al ritmo delle stagioni ”

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• How to respect and protect the mountains