A particoular holiday in the Valle Varaita

The valle Varaita is the perfects place for nature lovers: it is the paradise for ecologists, for excursionists, mountain-climbers and for lovers of relaxing walks through transparent rivers and uncontaminated pine-woods.
From the last hills of Verzuolo to the Col of "Agnello" it's going through sinous slopes and wide landscapes with follow gone woods of chestnut, birch, fir, larch, cembrian pine woods and of the rivers which flow into the Varaita Torrent.

The prevailing colour suggested rightly the appellation of Emerald Valley.

History, art and handicraft

In the Valley there are many marks of the time and the human work. Many churches go back to the Middle Ages, at Rossana, Brossasco, Sampeyre, Casteldelfino, Bellino and Chianale. the highest Valley until 1713 belonged to "Delfinato" of France and many are the traces which testify this period; besaides Bellino and also Chianale have preserved the characteristic stone houses, the ancient sun-dials, the Celtic stone faces.
In all the Valley, but especially in Sampeyre (see picture) and Brossasco, furniture in rustic "Valle Varaita" style is produced. Piasco is famous because it produces harps known in the world.

The folklore and the Occitan culture

Numerous are the fests in the cours of which the traditional colourful costumes are showed off, for example on the 10th of August at Chianale for "St. Lorenzo's Fest".
The most important date to remember is the "Baio" of Sampeyre, that take place every five years and it revoke the victory against the Saracens. At Brossasco, on the first of May, there is an important fest of the wood; at Melle is celebrated the fair of the "Tumin del Mel" that is the local handmade tipical cheese.
In August you can also find honey and different kinds of officinal herbs during the "Honey Fest", at Casteldelfino. At Becotto, village of Sampeyre, the last Sunday of the month of August, you can listen to the traditional music whilst you are strolling through the woods and tracks: it is "Lu Cianto Viol".
In Autumn mushrooms and chestnuts are the principal points of the fairs in the lower Valle Varaita, in Rossana, Piasco and Venasca.

The Stone King

Around the Mount Viso (see picture), called "the Stone King", that is the predominant mount of the valley, you can go trekking from Spring to Autumn through beaten tracks immersted in green woods and magnificient environments. You can also reach the highest peaks on mountain-bike or on hourseback with the "Merens" horses, which are very suitable for mountain horse trekking. Golf can be played in the lower valley, at Bricco of Venasca, a delightful spot. At Pontechianale surf can be done on the lake surrounded by pine-woods.
During the winter months many sports can be practiced, such as cross -country skiing (in Chianale, Bellino, Casteldelfino, Sampeyre, Becetto, Frassino, Valmala) or exilerating downhill skiing (in Pontechianale, Bellino, Casteldelfino, Sampeyre and Valmala).
In the same environment to be found thousand of ski-runs and ice-falls, a challenge for the ice piks, not to mention the courage, of the expert climber.

A taste of good food

In our Valley people are most hospitable: there are a large selection of hotels, excellent restaurants and tipical inns where one can eat traditional local foods, such as "ravioles", made of potatoes, local cheese and butter, "Polenta", which is a pudding of maize, and "cruzetin" which is made of rye flower.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Comunità Montana Valle Varaita - Tourist Office
12020 Sampeyre (CN) - piazza della Vittoria, 40
tel. 0175/977238 fax. 977448

Valley Tourist Office: tel. 0175/977152