Paths and excursions

Departing from Lillaz village, after having crossed a piece of the typical alpine forest, it's possible to admire the wonderful waterfall originated by the Urtier Torrent. After taking the valley, you pass a bridge entering into a forest of conifers to get among high altitude alpine pastures near the Alpe Bardoney: here in early summer you can see the great variety of alpine flora and easily sight the curious marmots.

In front of the Genzianella hotel starts a simple path on the left orographic side, almost all downhill, allowing to capture how the water strenght prevails on the hardest rock: in millennia the river has incised spectacular gorges alternating with flatter strokes ...

The excursion starts from one of the most famous locations on the whole Canavese, the Prascondù sanctuary from the seventeenth century, where every year on the 27^th of August the Patron Saint is celebrated. The course is coincident with a section of the GTA and, during the climb near the Alpe del Roc, a cave, created in a group of limestone called "Faia" (figure present in many legends of the Valley), can be observed.

Sylvenoire is a village whose intersection lies just beyond Vieyes on the road to Cogne. The route begins along a dirt road to the Plan Pessey alpin pasture, passing the stream and running into the mule track that climbs directly from Vieyes. Continue the climb up to a crossroads, where you choose the fork to the right, crossing a dense forest with notable specimens of spruce, then you get close to the hut of Chantel.

Geography manuals could use the Valley of Entrelor as clear example of glacial threshold or step, as evidence of the geological history of the valley, carved out by quaternary glaciers. In front of the City Hall of Rhemes Notre Dame take a road that enters the village and reaches the bridge over the Dora di Rhemes. Passed the statue dedicated to the bearded vulture, in front of the Park rangers headquarter, take the path.

Between soil and water. Some hairpin before the colle del Nivolet road, near the Losere ponds starts the ancient mule track built by the Savoy for the royal hunts. The Bastalon indeed, today used by the Gran Paradiso National Park ranger, was a wooden shelter of the real rangers.

From Valnontey hamlet follow a dirt track that, climbing up the Valley, leads to the Valmianaz village, perhaps the best example in Cogne Valley of local architecture, both as individual buildings, and as components of a conglomeration. Along the way is definitely worth stopping by the well known Prà Suppiaz peat-bog, very delicate damp environment, so we suggest to approach with caution to be able to observe the typical aquatic vegetation and fauna (grass snake, common frog, etc).

Scent of History. A nature path just upstream of Noasca, partly furnished with explanatory panels, goes through villages in the historic Valley of the Roc once inhabited the whole year and enriched by remains of frescoes. This wonderful example of combination between history of the territory and nature finds its maximum expression completing the circuit that continues until Pianchette, crossing a confy and fresh beech forest. house of many animal species of the Park.

Not to be missed :

From Campiglia Soana, parish and municipality in the past, you climb along the dirt track leading to the Azaria plain. Before reaching it, take a well indicated deviation on the right for the sanctuary of Saint Bessus. The cult of Saint Bessus is one of the oldest in the Alps and still today unites community of mountain and plain: on the 10^th of August every year, inhabitants of Cogne and Val Soana meet for worship at the bottom of the cliff where the sanctuary grows. The sanctuary is located along the ancient road that links the Cogne Valley and the Canavese.