The route has a ring structure and starting from Dogliani it touches the municipalities of Somano, Bossolasco, Murazzano, Clavesana and Farigliano.
It can also be done by those who are not particularly trained as long as they take the right time, the route is about 50 km long. and presents a first part uphill then continuing between ups and downs at low altitude.
Leave the town of Dogliani following the signs for Somano and Bossolasco. The road begins to climb regularly, and for the first 6 km it is rather shady.
First stop in Somano
By continuing to climb, you arrive in Somano. Leaving the village downhill, on the left there is a sign indicating the deviation for Colle Garombo. Here in the early days of the ’45 the partisans of Justice and Liberty of the gang “Monte Bram-Brigata valle Grana”, who had come from the plain to the command of Giannetto Asteggiano.
In Somano, the group of the French partisan “Lulu”, Luis Chabas, the legendary red primrose of the Langhe who had fallen by mistake at the hands of a GL patrol just arrived from the plain, had had one of its bases.
The coexistence in this area of Langa between Garibaldini and GL was not without rivalries and tensions, but also saw numerous common actions. Following the detour near the sign, through an asphalted road you reach Pian Garombo, where there is a multipurpose structure still used for celebrations and gatherings related to the Resistance.
Resistance Park in Bossolasco
Continuing along the asphalted road, we reunite with the s.p. 56 which rises offering a magnificent view of the mountains and the plain below. You then arrive in Bossolasco, known for being one of the production centers of the Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnut.
Before entering the village, on the left, you go up to the park of the Resistance, and you are greeted by a plaque that reads “Here live forever the eyes that were closed to the light so that everyone would open them forever to the light”, phrase of Ungaretti composed specifically for the park.
Although small in extension, it is a place that leads the visitor to get away from the surrounding environment, ideal for a pause for reflection and rest.
Leaving the village we take the S.P. 32 in the direction of Murazzano. This stretch is the highest and offers a very wide panorama on the left of the Belbo valley. various changes of slope are never too demanding and in about 8 km. you arrive in the village.
Arrival in Murazzano
Today Murazzano is known above all for the D.o.p. cheese, among the oldest in Italy, but during the Resistance it was an important center for the control of the operations of the high Langa.
In the historic center, in Piazza Umberto I, we find two plaques in memory of those days. Two 20-year-old partisans, Fausto Pezzotti and Giovani Marazzi, were shot in this square on the evening of January 2nd, 1945.
Another plaque commemorates the famous “Lieutenant Biondo” Gino Ghibaudo, killed by the Nazi fascists on the outskirts of the country in 1944 and whose deeds are also told in the Partisan Jonny di Fenoglio.
The massacre of Cacciadoro
Leaving the town along via Roma, take the S.S. 661 towards Belvedere Langhe. You pass next to the chapel of San Sebastiano, where a plaque commemorates another massacre. This time it concerns the killing of unarmed civilians, who had nothing to do with military activities.
These are the facts: on 3 August 44 the partisan Spartaco Ermini was watching the body of another partisan killed the day before and awaiting burial in the chapel. At the sight of a German column he tried to escape in the direction of the Cacciadoro farmhouse.
Once the Germans killed the partisan, they went on to the farmhouse, where Pietro Pagliano and Angelo Giacosa were intent on baking bread. They accused them of being in the service of the partisans and killed them, then setting the house on fire and heading towards Dogliani, but not before having beaten the women of the house.
Shortly thereafter, two other civilians, Paolo Odello and Antonio Freddo, came to help the survivors. After half an hour the Germans returned, and they killed two of them too.
Towards the San Bernardo shrine
Near Belvedere, leave the state road to take Provincial Road 59 following the indication for Clavesana.
It then begins to descend and after about 2 km you meet a crossroads that bends towards the valley, which indicates the hamlet of Madonna delle Surie. Take the road that runs alongside the hamlet, continuing to descend for another 2 km.
The descent is very beautiful, and allows a splendid view of the plain below. However, it does present some bends that deserve attention. Then you go along the hamlet of Ciri and you will find the shrine on the top of a hill.
It is a very suggestive place, wanted at the end of the 45’s by the famous Commander Mauri. Along the avenue leading to the chapel are the names of about 800 partisans.
Towards Clavesana
You go back from the same road, passing the Ciri village again, and shortly after you take a crossroads towards the Ghigliani hamlet, which gave its name to a detachment of the Langhe Division, led by the official student Italo Gatto.
We continue to descend, passing through the villages of Ferrua and San Bartolomeo, to arrive at the Tanaro near Madonna della Neve. Here Italo Gatto died, blocking a German column across the bridge, thus allowing his companions to escape. For this action Gatto was awarded post-mortem with the rank of Marshal. Going up to the right you can go to the historic center of Clavesana.
Return to Dogliani
On the other hand, if you cross the bridge, take the S.P. 12 passing near the Cantina Sociale di Clavesana. The road is kept for about 3km, it is flat but rather busy, so it requires attention. We arrive at the crossroads which on the right indicates Farigliano, and takes us on the provincial road 9. We cross the town of Farigliano and here we find the penultimate climb of the tour, short but steep. You arrive at a flat stretch, one last climb and we arrive at the crossroads with the S.P. 661, where you take the descent to Dogliani.