If you’re up for a visit to the beautiful Italian region of Umbria, better make sure your laptop is running some open source software — chances are you’ll feel more at home there.

This small area in the middle of the Boot, known for its centuries-old monasteries and for being the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi, is in fact quickly becoming a mecca of free software.

Thanks to a project called LibreUmbria, the biggest local government bodies are migrating to LibreOffice in what’s thought to be the most carefully-designed transition away from proprietary software ever undertaken. Though not as big as other international migration initiatives, the Umbrian project has been praised for its attention it pays to every aspect of the transition, not just the technical ones.

And if money is the primary motive, cultural and ethical reasons also play a prominent role. “Right now, along with Munich…