In the picturesque Po Valley, at the foot of the imposing Monviso, lies Ostana, a small mountain village that seems straight out of an Alpine fairy tale. With its scattered hamlets, roofs of slates (stone slabs) and dry stone walls that outline the landscape, Ostana is a place where time has stood still, preserving intact Occitan traditions and culture. This corner of Italian Occitania is not only a destination for nature lovers and trekkers, but also an ideal place for those who want to rediscover their roots, immersing themselves in a cultural and historical heritage that speaks of mountain life, community and an unbreakable bond with the land. The name Ostana, probably derived from "Augustana", evokes practices of transhumance and summer grazing, testifying to a centuries-old bond with the mountain and its resources. The scattered hamlets, such as La Villo, Champanho and Miribrart, are a mosaic of spontaneous architecture, where wood and stone blend in harmony with their surroundings. Walking through these hamlets, one encounters abandoned houses, community ovens, votive chapels, and dry stone walls that tell of a once populated and vibrant mountain. Today, this heritage is waiting to be rediscovered and enhanced. Ostana is not only a village to admire, but to experience, walking along its paths, breathing the pure air of the Po Valley and being enchanted by the view of Monviso, which dominates the landscape with its majestic pyramid. For those who want to learn more about Occitan culture and mountain life, a must-see is the Civic Ethnographic Museum, located in the town hall of La Villo. Managed by the Cultural Association I Rënèis, the museum reconstructs environments of the past such as the stable and the cellar, displaying objects and tools of daily life in the past. Through these artifacts, one can imagine how people lived in these lands: working in the fields, caring for animals, making cheese and wine, and the folk festivals and traditions that marked the rhythm of the seasons. The museum is not only a window to the past, but an opportunity to reflect on the value of roots and the richness of a culture that adapted to the mountains with ingenuity and respect. In the hamlet of Miribrart, the Alpine Architecture and Landscape Ecomuseum represents a bridge between tradition and innovation. This museum, which is set among the hamlet's restored houses, explores the material culture of the past, but also looks to the future, proposing contemporary Alpine architecture that dialogues with the historical legacy. Miribrart, with its lean-to houses and mèire (seasonal high-altitude settlements), is a symbolic place of mountain life. Here, the walls of the houses often preserve the "pèiro dal milezim", a stone engraved with the date of construction of the building, evidence of ancient building wisdom. The Ecomuseum not only preserves this memory, but transforms it into a sustainable development project, with the goal of creating a diffuse hotel and promoting tourism that respects the environment and traditions. A trip to Ostana is not just a vacation, but a return to the origins, an immersion in a culture that knows how to speak to the present while looking to the future. Because, as an old Occitan proverb says, "those who do not know their roots, cannot grow". With its museums, hamlets and landscapes, Ostans is the perfect place to begin this journey.