The Piedmont Region has recently approved the “Cycle Network Project of Regional Interest” that puts together the existing cycling mobility projects of the region, into a system. There are twenty-two bicycle routes highlighted, with the aim of providing Piedmont with an organized system capable of enhance its landscape and environmental heritage of the territories, which, like the great cycling networks of northern Europe, can generate economic and employment growth, favouring the development of tourist entrepreneurship at the service of the cycle routes.
Among the twenty-two itineraries included in the regional project there is also the Ciclovia della Valle Varaita, a nine-stage route that runs through the entire valley, for a total of about 63km, making the most of the existing secondary route at low traffic intensity , roads already existing and pedestrian and cycle paths.
The choice of the route, which is connected to already existing secondary cycle rings, which are more technical, suitable above all for MTB use, is about the sections where there are no high difficulty of accessibility: in this way the entire cycle route is accessible to families and to tourists with an average workout.
Each stage reaches the centre of the villages, to allow tourists to take advantage of commercial activities and local receptivity. In addition, in order to integrate outdoor tourism with other opportunities to visit the valley, it is possible, in different places, to combine the tourism offer linked to traditional architecture and culture, craftsmanship and food and wine.
The cycle route is connected, through the municipalities of the valley bottom, with the EuroVelo8 transnational itinerary: this considerably implements its value in relation to the use of the itinerary by a conscious tourism that is increasingly attentive to sports, provided it is carried out in conditions safety and with an eye to safeguarding environmental resources. Not only that: in fact there is also the possibility to connect the bike lane to neighbouring France, through the provincial road that goes from Pontechianale to Colle dell’Agnello, which has been evaluated by the technicians of the Piedmont Region as an element of particular tourist interest to be taken into account.
The cycle route will thus become a further cycling itinerary for the valley area, where the 14 tracks of Pedalando Varaita and those of VéloViso already exist, suitable for mountain bikes.
THE STAGES OF THE CICLOVIA DELLA VALLE VARAITA
- Busca – Costigliole Saluzzo (8,7km)
- Costigliole Saluzzo – Verzuolo – Piasco – Rossana (7,6km)
- Rossana – Venasca – Brossasco (4,7km)
- Brossasco – Melle (6,2km)
- Melle – Frassino (5,1km)
- Frassino – Rore, fraz. Sampeyre (5,2km)
- Rore, fraz. Sampeyre – Sampeyre (5,7km)
- Sampeyre – Casteldelfino (7,9km)
- Casteldelfino – Bellino (4,2km)
- Casteldelfino – Pontechianale (7,1km)