Mountains

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Mountains

Usually the three Lanzo Valleys are identified as the Italian southern Graian Alps side.

The area includes the Rocciamelone massif, the Autaret – Ovarda massif and the Levanne massif.  The most important summits, all over the 3000 meters, are located along the frontier line between Italy and Maurienne (France).

The end mountain range of the Lanzo Valleys begins from the Rocciamelone summit, icon of the “western mountaineering” history. Among this spellbinding chain of summits stands out the Croce Rossa, the east-northeast slope of which precipitate into the Lago della Rossa basin. Both Uja di Bessanese and Uja di Mondrone are, without any doubt, two of the most recognizable Lanzo Valleys rocky summits. Both summits, with their steep slopes and walls, represent the basic milestones of the Piedmontese mountaineering evolution. A short distance away, the “queen of the Lanzo Valleys”, Uja di Ciamarella, overlooks unchallenged with its 3676 meters summit. Its easy south-western slope, yearly covered by tens of mountaineers and mountaineering skiers, contrasts with the harsh and glacial north face overlooking the Sea valley. The Gura-Mulinet-Martellot massif sharp summits are for experienced mountaineers and climbers only, while the Levanna Orientale is the Lanzo Valleys extreme edge, bordering with Parc National de la Vanoise and Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso.

The Lanzo Valleys do not include “great mountains” only. The great divides, which separate the three valleys gently sloping to the plain, have summits equally beautiful and rich of a great environment variety. We want to recall, for instance, Punta Lunella, Torre d’Ovarda, Monte Civrari, Uja di Calcante, Monte Rosso d’Ala, Doubia, Monte Morion, and Uja di Bellavarda. The many itineraries, leaving from the valley bottom to reach these summits, are the ideal playground for the most demanding hiker. While climbing, he will cross magic mix woods, beech, fir and larch woods to finally reach the orographic peak through high pastures. In some cases, the natural panoramic viewpoint will offer a 360° breathtaking view.