TREKKING IN PIEDMONT - Orientarsi

TREKKING IN PIEDMONT

La Grande Traversata del Biellese (Bi)
This lengthy hiking route with its 234 km is one of Italy’s longest hikes provided with signals; it
begins and ends at the Santuario di Oropa (sanctuary of Oropa) and is ring shaped. The Grande
Traversata del Biellese (GTB – The Biella province Great Crossing) is made of 57 stages, with
extremely varied levels of difficulty, crossing every setting the province offers: alternating
embossments, woods and plains without ever reaching elevated altitudes. In fact, the route
remains below 1000 m for the most part, touching its maximum altitude of 1250 m during the final
stage along the Tracciolino, an ancient road that once united the principal sanctuaries of the Biella
province. The GTB was conceived with the objective of building a route that could include the main
naturalistic, artistic and devotional attractions of this area. This is why the departure and arrival
points were chosen among those easy to reach from Biella by means of public transportation or
among those with a nearby parking lot for automobiles. The 57 stages are clustered into 15 trails,
each one of which ideally represents a one day hike that could eventually be broken down even
more.
Massif of the Rosa dei Banchi (To)
A three stage hike through the upper Soana Valley to discover the landscape of the Canavese
area.
Stage 1: From the houses in Forzo, follow the path running along the bottom of the Vallone di
Lavina, along the left mountain side, following back up in a north eastern direction into a rocky
bowl. Once above the Alpe Costa, turn right, reaching Grange Lavina Grossa. Climb up a steep
slope that leads to Colle della Cadrega. On the other side, follow a trail that diagonally crosses
Torre di Lavina in a northern direction to then turn eastward for a descent into the Grange Rancio

di Sopra. At that point follow the left mountain side to reach the Grange di Aramant and from
there the path continues on a dirt road leading to the Piano di Azaria and to the Campiglia Soana
village.
Stage 2: From Campiglia there is a climb up to Grange Cugnonà. Follow the mule track leading
into a north eastern direction towards the pass found along the right side of the Monte Rosa dei
Banchi. After Colle della Borra, the trail descends quickly, touching upon various granges arriving
all the way to Grange Prariond, where it enters into a road ending at the hamlet of Piamprato.
Stage 3: A mule track climbs from the houses in Alpe Giassetto and continues towards the dip
that separates Monte Marzo from the Cima delle Chiose, the Bocchetta delle Oche. After crossing,
follow the descent into a narrow valley, characterised by shelf-like slopes which initially lead to the
hamlet of Tallorno and then to the inhabited area of Fondo.
Urban Trekking in Ivrea (To)
Urban hiking is the increasingly popular, innovative way to deepen one’s understanding of a city’s
history and cultural heritage. Maps and mini guides accompany tourists and inquirers along a
series of routes purposely realised to reveal hidden corners and to feel the more provocative
places that have survived in modern cities. Ivrea, like other places in the Canavese area has
studied an itinerary, circular in shape, that leads to a discovery of the marks different historic
periods have left behind in its urban fabric. Ivrea is also synonymous of great industrial and
occupational realities. Urban hiking offers a possibility of getting acquainted with the many
buildings related to the entrepreneurial adventure of the Olivetti family and their “Fabbrica
Nazionale Macchine per Scrivere” (National Typewriter Factory).The MAAM outdoor museum
created to preserve the city’s Olivetti culture has also been dedicated to them.

Via Alpina in the Biella province - from
Gressoney/Saint Jean to Piedicavallo (Bi)
The itinerario blu (Blue route) of the Via Alpina – the alpine hiking route system connecting eight
European countries – traces a journey that leads from the glaciers of Monte Rosa to the maritime
Alps, and essentially follows the course of the Piemonte Alps. Two stages of the “via blu” (D17 – D
18) cross the Biella area retracing the Walser population, the German speaking people who had
settled in the Piemonte Alps after having migrated from the Swiss Valais canton. The path which
originates from Gressoney Saint Jean in Val d’Aosta, passes ancient Walser villages and crosses
over alpine pastures and forests of pine trees and broad leafed trees. After crossing the Lazouney
and the Mologna Grande hills, there is a descent into the Rifugio Rivetti (Rivetti lodge) that can be
used as a base for climbs into the Punta dei Tre Vescovi, to the Monte Rosso del Croso, to the
Gemelli di Mologna and to Monte Cossarello. The route continues: descending to Piedicavallo. The
next leg of the journey leaves from the town of Valle del Cervo, following the ancient commercial
route that once led into the Aosta Valley by way of Colle della Vecchia.