At the foot of the Bavarian Alps, the Allgäu is a hilly region that is said to have more cows than people. After a few hours by train (and two changes) from Paris, we reach the small station of Dietmannsried, among fields dotted with bright yellow dandelions.
Christian Müller, founder of Rosso, picks us up. We sink into nature and we reach this old farmhouse with red hues, 800 meters above sea level. If he affirms that his establishment has adopted wabi-sabi, this Japanese concept which values the imperfection of things, we quickly realize that here everything seems thought out, chosen.
Inspired by Italian agritourism, Christian Müller bought this imposing residence in 2018. This friendly gentleman-farmer in his forties lives on the ground floor in the space formerly occupied by the peasants. The huge barn has been transformed to accommodate three apartments : La Bella, for two, La Grande and La Famiglia for up to four people.
This is perhaps what explains the smell reminiscent of hay that one smells in La Grande, a long and vast room, surmounted by a mezzanine, where one puts one’s luggage. You immediately feel good there. The heating passes under the wide strips of oak parquet. The elegant structure of the frame punctuates the volume with its diagonal geometry.
In the middle is a large table in raw wood, soft to the touch and full of small holes, due to the wear of time, like a mysterious landscape. The walk-in shower, the hammered copper bathtub, the super-comfortable mattress, the sandstone vases and the botanical works contribute to the atmosphere of comfort and harmony. The services could be those of a top-of-the-range hotel.
huge garden
But, as it is an apartment, there is everything for cooking. In the refrigerator, Christian Müller has taken care to place regional beers, apple juice, Allgäu cheese, muesli… You can also buy supplies in the shop at the end of the corridor (local products in the spotlight) or go down to the village by electric bike to do some shopping. Don’t forget to sort your waste the German way (paper and packaging, compost or others).
“I have taken off with my digital marketing business which I continue to co-manage from here, even if I sometimes go and find the teams in Hamburg”, says our host. In addition to the apartments, Rosso has the Atelier der langen Weile, “a workshop for long periods”, where you can laze in front of the fireplace or get together in a group to toast or dine.
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