Italian invasion of France

The Italian invasion of France (10–25 June 1940), also called the Battle of the Alps, was the first major Italian engagement of World War II and the last major engagement of the Battle of France. The Italian entry into the war widened its scope considerably in Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. The goal of the Italian leader, Benito Mussolini, was the elimination of Anglo-French domination in the Mediterranean, the reclamation of historically Italian territory (Italia irredenta) and the expansion of Italian influence over the Balkans and in Africa. France and Britain tried during the 1930s to draw Mussolini away from an alliance with Germany but the rapid German successes from 1938 to 1940 made Italian intervention on the German side inevitable by May 1940. Italy declared war on France and Britain on the evening of 10 June, to take effect just after midnight. The two sides exchanged air raids on the first day of the war, but little transpired on the Alpine front since France and Italy had defensive strategies. There was some skirmishing between patrols and the French forts of the Ligne Alpine exchanged fire with their Italian counterparts of the Vallo Alpino. On 17 June, France announced that it would seek an armistice with Germany. On 21 June, with a Franco-German armistice about to be signed, the Italians launched a general offensive along the Alpine front, the main attack coming in the northern sector and a secondary advance along the coast. The Italian offensive penetrated a few kilometres into French territory against strong resistance but stalled before its primary objectives could be attained, the coastal town of Menton, situated directly on the Italian border, being the most significant conquest. On the evening of 24 June, an armistice was signed at Rome. It came into effect just after midnight on 25 June, at the same time as the armistice with Germany (signed 22 June).

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Réintroduction des pratiques pastorales dans la vallée Bavona par la création d’une entreprise agricole familiale.

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Au fond de la Vallemaggia au Tessin, plus précisément dans le Val Bavona, il est possible de trouver certains des artefacts les plus révélateurs du mode de vie et de construction qui existait autrefois dans cette région de Suisse. Au fil des siècles, la population a progressivement abandonné les villages de la vallée mettant ainsi fin à des activités agricoles et pastorales ancestrales. Avec la création d’une entreprise agricole à San Carlo, le projet propose de réintroduire certaines pratiques pastorales par la construction d’une ferme et d’une nouvelle laiterie. En même temps, il prévoit d’offrir des lieux de rencontre et de séjour pour les personnes qui veulent découvrir la vie rurale et les beautés naturelles de la région. L’emplacement est stratégique, il permet une connexion facile à l’Alpe di Robiei, située au-dessus de San Carlo, où les vaches et les chèvres sont conduites à pâturer pendant la saison estivale. Ainsi, le village n’est plus un simple lieu de passage entre la plaine et les hauts pâturages : il est au centre de la vie rurale. En même temps, il constitue un point de départ idéal pour les amoureux de la montagne qui veulent passer un moment de détente, en contact étroit avec la nature sauvage, entre sentiers, glacier et refuges d’altitude.

2022