In a former Grand Hotel, some of Italy’s finest cured hams are aged—crafted by a small mountain charcuterie

Many stories intertwine within the ageing cellars of Marchisio hams. There’s the story of Lurisia, renowned for its water—once believed to be miraculous, according to a local legend from the early 1900s, as it could heal infected wounds quickly and effectively. Later, Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie discovered that this water contained radium. Then there’s the story of the thermal spa that emerged years later, boasting 17 hotels, and the Grand Hotel Radium, a jewel of local hospitality that, in its golden years, hosted influential figures from politics, business, and fashion. Finally, there’s the story of Marchisio, a charcuterie in nearby Pianfei, founded in 1958 (although the founder’s father had already been running a delicatessen in the 1940s). In 2015, Marchisio acquired the Radium, which had since closed and been abandoned, converting part of it into ageing cellars for pork thighs. It is the only ham curing facility in the world housed in a former hotel.

The revival of a hospitality gem

“Between the 1940s and 1970s, the Grand Hotel Radium was a prestigious hotel and a hotspot for high society,” says Nadia Marchisio, who runs the business alongside her sons Marco and Paolo Dadone. “It welcomed the Grimaldi shipowners from Genoa, the Agnelli and Ferrero families, and representatives of major fashion houses like Ermenegildo Zegna and Borbonese. Even President Giovanni Gronchi held summits here with Minister Pietro Nenni.”

However, as thermal spas declined in popularity, the 17 hotels in Lurisia gradually shut down. The Hotel Radium officially ceased operations in 1999, though it had already fallen into disuse by the 1980s. The once-grand establishment was left to decay, suffering from years of neglect and looting.

“Huge, Art Nouveau-style, with over 110 rooms, reception halls, kitchens, and service areas, the Radium looked like a wounded giant—a Titanic stranded at 800 metres above sea level,” explains Paolo Dadone, who oversees exports for the family business.

A sustainable restoration

For Marchisio, acquiring and renovating the Radium, along with a smaller adjacent structure (formerly the Hotel Le Fonti, now transformed into a 10-room relais), was the missing piece of the puzzle.

“We were looking for a place to cure our raw ham and complete our production cycle,” says Nadia Marchisio. “Producing in the mountains offers several advantages: the pure, fresh air and the surrounding pine forest infuse the products with unique aromas.”

For Lurisia, a hamlet of Roccaforte Mondovì in Piedmont, just 13 kilometres from the French border, the Marchisio project marks the beginning of a revival. The restoration was carried out with a focus on environmental sustainability, adhering to a clear principle: restore the existing structure without adding new buildings, concrete, or unnecessary land consumption.

“We preserved everything that could be salvaged,” explains Nadia Marchisio. “We removed the plaster to expose the natural stone walls. So far, we’ve renovated the ground floor: the right wing, which housed the kitchens, laundry, and service areas, has been converted into curing cellars, while the central section, originally the reception and halls, now hosts a shop, tasting area, and a 180-seat restaurant. The left wing and the upper three floors with the guest rooms are awaiting future development.”

The ageing cellars

The stone cellars, with wooden racks where pork thighs hang and windows that open and close depending on weather conditions, provide the perfect environment for natural ham curing. They ensure even ageing without forming an outer crust and are eco-friendly.

“Stone retains and releases humidity, keeping the temperature constant,” explains Nadia Marchisio. “The hams mature slowly, nurtured by the fresh, clean mountain air—all with a lower environmental impact, reducing electricity and gas consumption.”

This sustainable approach earned Marchisio the ISO 14001 sustainability certification.

Lurisia’s mountain hams

The hams cured in the stone cellars of the former Grand Hotel Radium are processed at Marchisio’s historic family charcuterie in Pianfei, just over 10 kilometres from the Lurisia thermal baths. This renowned norcineria is well-known in Italy and across Europe for its specialty salami, including those infused with truffle, Barolo wine, the traditional Piemontese cooked salami, and the fassona beef salami, introduced in 2022. By the end of the year, Marchisio will launch new salamis featuring Alta Langa wine and Piedmont IGP hazelnuts.

For the past five years, Marchisio’s flagship products have been:

• Cuneo DOP, the only Italian raw ham made exclusively from pigs raised in the province of Cuneo.
• Lurisia Mountain Ham, crafted from locally sourced pork.

“Our mountain-cured ham is aged for at least 16 months,” says Paolo Dadone, highlighting its sweet, delicate flavour. “We use 12% less salt than standard ham regulations require.”

It comes in three versions:

1. Classic, seasoned with mountain herbs (“grown right next to our ageing facility”) and Lurisia water.
2. Truffle-infused, with black truffle flakes.
3. Barolo-cured, coated in grape pomace from Barolo wine and aged in barrels previously used for this iconic Langhe red.

While Cuneo DOP is distributed through large retailers, Lurisia Mountain Ham is destined for delicatessens, butchers, high-end restaurants, and Michelin-starred chefs.

Some of its notable destinations include:

• Vittorio in Bergamo
• Agri.Relais Coltivare in La Morra
• Il Nazionale in Vernante
• Felicin in Monforte d’Alba
• Villa Garassino in Treiso
• Casa di Langa in Cerretto Langhe
• Ugo Alciati’s new Baratti & Milano restaurant in Turin

Among the top delicatessens stocking it are:

• Testa and Ideal in Turin
• Aldo Carni in Cuneo
• Paciotti and Roscioli in Rome.

Marchisio Stagionatura Lurisia - Roccaforte Mondovì (CN) - fraz. Lurisia via delle Terme, 13 - 0174247526 - 3388538230 - stagionaturamarchisio.it