Coumboscuro: The Italian village that doesn't speak Italian

Situated near the border between the Piedmont region of Italy and France, visitors either need to fly to Turin, and take a train and then a bus, or drive south from Provence in order to reach it.

Those who do make the trip here would be forgiven for wondering if they're in the right country, particularly when locals bid them goodbye with the unfamiliar "arveire" rather than "arrivederci."

The official language of Coumboscuro is Provençal, an ancient medieval neo-Latin dialect of Occitan, the language spoken across the Occitania region of France.

Only around 30 or so people live in the village, and life is far from easy for locals. Coumboscuro is largely made up of shepherding families, who frequently find their herds under attack from the wolves who roam here.

The electricity is often out for weeks during the winter time, while the internet connection here is minimal.

But the village's quiet, mountain meadows and bright purple lavender fields are ideal for visitors looking for an unplugged retreat, as are the breathtaking views from its Alpine peaks, which stretch to the Cote d'Azur.

Forget bars, supermarkets and restaurants, any social buzz is limited to the occasional folklore events that take place in the village, or when day trippers embark on solitary weekend mushroom hunts.