Nivolastro

Access

At the motorway exit in Ivrea, take the Pedemontana road, Strada Statale , and at Castellamonte the Strada Statale di Ceresole Reale. Continue into the Orco Valley to Pont Canavese, where you turn towards the Soana Valley along Provincial Road . You will then reach Ronco Canavese and park in front of the "San Giuseppe" living room for the elderly.

• How to get there with GMAPS
• How to get there with Apple Maps 

Introduction

A short walk through the woods leads to the now uninhabited hamlet of Nivolastro. During the itinerary, one crosses several votive pillars, often built for special graces received, other times erected to the Madonna or Saints to protect them from natural events. A recent census, carried out in 1990 by the French-Provençal research association EFFEPI, reported that the number of votive pillars in the area included in the municipalities of Valprato Soana, Ronco Canavese, Ingria and Frassinetto is 146.

Description

From the car park, go up the road behind the 'San Giuseppe' old people's home, following the signs for 'Nivolastro'. You will soon reach a bridge over the stream and climb up the paved mule track that runs along the orographic left of the stream. After circumventing a rocky bastion, steep turns lead to a beautiful viewpoint, called "Mont del Trasi", from which the valley floor is visible. One proceeds through the woods, with a monotonous and tiring path, encountering some double porticoed votive pillars, precisely in the places called "Mont del Trazi", "Labrenva", "Freiet" and "Li bui", where Christ, the B.V. Maria, San Grato, San Besso, etc. are frescoed. Further up, now in the vicinity of Nivolastro, three watering holes for animals are crossed. We pass under the last porticoed votive pillar and, almost level, reach the small church, dedicated to San Grato, in Nivolastro, an excellent vantage point for viewing the surrounding panorama. It is now worth walking among the houses of Nivolastro (1423m) to discover what life must have been like in these remote hamlets. For the descent, as an alternative to the ascent route already taken, it is suggested that you walk near the last house at the top right of Nivolastro. Follow a path, which is almost level, until you cross, on the right, a steep track that descends, at first in twists and turns, into the forest of larch, beech and maple trees. You reach a wooden bridge and soon afterwards you are in the hamlet of Chiapetto (1140m). Along the tarmac road you reach the provincial road and, following it, passing the villages of Zurlera, Scandosio, Chio and Cernisio, you reach Ronco Canavese.

General Information

Signposts:
Type of route: a/r
Recommended period: May, June, July, August, September, October
Exposure to sunlight: north
Objective Danger:none
Exposed Trails:none
Useful Equipment:normal equipment and clothing for day hiking
Water: Departure