*** LA GIANAVELLA ***

THE NAME:
It is a place that is the symbol of Waldensian Resistence, because it is tied to Giosuč Janavel (1617-1690) that was a firm defender of Rorŕ, his place of origin, against the troops of the Marquis of Pianezza and he was persecuted by the catholics that forced him to take shelter in Ginevra, where, during his condition of exile worked out the plan that wold allow to Enrico Arnaud in 1689 to carry out the “Gloriose Rentrée “ or “Glorious Repatriation”.

THE STRUCTURE:
It is a complex property of the Waldensian Board since 1959 in a shady pinewood and it is formed by Liorato or upper Gianavella where Janavel was born and by lower Gianavella where he lived and that today is in a part museum and in a part guesthouse, where tourists, mostly Germans, find hospitality.
There is a shady arcade of old wooden beams leaning on stone quadrangolar columns in stone and a firm wooden door through which we can enter into a weakly enlightened and rich of charm environment, where there is the famous tunnel shelter, helpful in case of danger for enemy attacks; on its lintel it is engroved the saying “W.G.G. 1660” that means “Long life to Giosuč Janavel 1660”.
In front of the arcade of the lower Gianavella there is a beautiful tree of approximately three hundred years, all visible in the knotty and twisted trunk, called “Marteil” that, whit its shade seems to keep the secrets of this house of “Bandits”, as were called, whit mix of fear and of admiration, the fallowers of Gianavella.
The front is also shaded by an ancient willow, out its feet there is an old fountain dug in atrunk of a tree.