Savognin is the main village of the Surses, or Oberhalbstein, the high valley that climbs from Tiefencastel toward the Julier Pass. It lies at about 1,200 metres, in a broad green basin with forest on either side, and it has the feel of a place that has lived off the road for a long time. The people speak Romansh, the old Latin-derived language of the Graubünden, and the road signs and village names have a gentle, rolling quality that sets them apart from German-speaking Switzerland.
The valley has been a trade route since Roman times, when a road crossed the Julier and Septimer passes, and traces of that history remain in old stone bridges, mule paths and a pair of Roman columns that once stood on the Julier summit. The Romans built to move soldiers and goods north, and later the route served merchants, pilgrims and herders. In the nineteenth century, the painter Giovanni Segantini lived in Savognin for several years, painting the peasants and the mountain light, and his work from that period is among the most admired of Alpine realism.
The village has a ski area that gives it a lively winter season, and in summer it is a base for walking and riding. The old village centre has big stone houses with painted facades, a church with a tall bell tower and a lively square with cafes. The surrounding hills are dotted with hay barns and small farm chapels, and the streams that run through the village are clear and cold. In the morning, mist lies on the valley floor and the peaks catch the first sunlight.
For a rider, Savognin sits at the foot of the climb to the Julier, and the road up the Surses valley is a delight, with long, fast bends, smooth tarmac and wide views. Past Savognin, the road climbs through the villages of Tinizong, Bivio and the high pastures, and then rises to the pass in a series of gentle sweeps. Traffic is moderate in summer, with coaches and caravans, so a start before ten is rewarded. Frost can linger in the shaded bends into April, and the early morning cold is bitter.
Savognin has a petrol station, a supermarket, a couple of bakeries and several restaurants, and the food is good, with barley soup, air-dried beef and Capuns, the Graubünden dish of spätzle dough wrapped in chard leaves. Lenzerheide, about fourteen kilometres to the north, has more services, and Chur is the nearest city. Eat something warm before the climb, because the pass is cold, even in summer.