In a small village in Tuscany’s Valdarno Aretino, the sound of running water is part of daily life. The Ciuffenna stream divides the historic centre, passing beneath stone houses and a high arched bridge before dropping through a narrow gorge.
At the centre of it all sits an old water mill on a rocky outcrop in the stream. Dating from around the year 1000, it is described as Tuscany’s oldest working mill and is still used to grind flour. The mill is built directly over the stream, where the current powers its vertical-shaft mechanism. Inside, the stone millstones remain in use, mainly milling chestnut flour linked to the area’s rural food traditions.
