Rovaiolo Vecchio is an ancient village in the mountains in the province of Pavia, halfway between Milan and the sea. Or at least it was. Before the construction of highways and railways, the road that passes through the town was of primary importance for the importing of salt to population centers in the Po Valley. One day in 1960, local officials ordered the immediate evacuation of the whole village: The mountain was sliding down onto it. Within a few hours, all the inhabitants were packing up their belongings and leaving…
