Balcone Rivotti - Gias Nuovo Fontane Trail

Easy and comfortable outing, it mainly develops on a service dirt road to several pasture huts. An itinerary above the woods limit that offers panoramic viewpoints on Val Grande. The road ends at Gias Nuovo Fontane, on the Barrouard slopes, looking down on Vallone della Gura and Levanna Orientale.

Indications

Suggested period

All year around, a perfect snowshoes itinerary in case of snow.

Starting point

Rivotti 1450 m

Elevation gain

530 m

Difficulty

Travel time

2,15 hrs

Trail indication

Recommended for

Hikers
Families
Nordic walking
Snow-shoes
Barrier-free - joelette
Everybody

Access

Just beyond Pialpetta residential area, take to the right the Rivotti/Albon road. After 600 m, at the crossroads, turn left for Rivotti. After 2 km park the car by the notice board.

Itinerary

Enter the hamlet through the narrow road and overtake the Cappella della Madonna della Visitazione. Take the trail passing by a small powerhouse and above a repeater. Climb up the meadows until reaching the dirt road. Accurately follow it to the end when you will arrive at Gias Nuovo Fontane (about 6 km). Reach Alpe Le Moie: looking upwards, you will notice Vallone dell’Alpetto overlooked by Monte Morion. Having overtaken two hairpin turns and Pra Longis crest, you enter the real scenic part of the trail, with wide views of the valley below. You will have the opportunity to observe proofs of glacial structures in Vallone di Sagnasse such as the lateral moraine and the sheep rocks. However, at first you will come upon the “pera ciapel”, a geostructure formed by in balance overlapping blocks. On the opposite side of the valley you will note Bec Ceresin, a huge monolith that, through the centuries, remained isolated from all other orographic structures. Overtake Gias del Crest, Gias dei Signori and at last Gias di Sagnasse so as to overlook Vallone della Gura and arrive at Gias Nuovo Fontane. From this point the panorama widens from the valley head with the borderline crest with France to the wild Vallone di Sea, which from Forno arrives at the foot of Ciamarella, on the opposite side.

The return trip is along the same itinerary.

In wintertime, in presence of snow, it is however suggested, if accessible, to enter straight away the dirt road on the right of the starting point from the hamlet (should it not be accessible, reach on foot Rivotti hamlet). In both cases, always keep to the left at every crossroads. In so doing, the trip will be about 1 km longer.

Bibliography

“Camminare in Val Grande” di Roberto Bergamino

Cartography

Valli di Lanzo – carta dei sentieri 3 Val d’Ala e Val Grande di sentieri.biz; Alte Valli di Lanzo – carta n° 17 L’Escursionista & Monti editori; Alte Valli di Lanzo – carta n°103 dell’Istituto Geografico Centrale