Le Strade dei Forti - stage 8 from Pian dell'Alpe to Casa Assietta

From Pian dell'Alpe continue along the paved road passing in front of the Alpe Pintas refreshment spot and proceed. With a steady incline, the road rises and takes us to the Colle delle Finestre and, if desired, you can take advantage of shortcuts on the last hairpins on a visible trail track. The view from the pass ranges from the Albergian massif on the Val Chisone side to the Rocciamelone on the Val Susa side, from which we can see the tortuous epic climb to the pass, also featured in some stages of the Giro d'Italia. The start of this stage can also be made from Usseaux by adding detour 7b (Le Strade dei Forti - Stage 7b start from Usseaux)

To continue from Colle delle Finestre there are 2 options:

1. just before reaching the pass you can take the military trail/road on the left, easily identifiable thanks to the wooden arch indicating the Assietta road;

2. the other option starts directly above the fountain, follows a trail that leads to a first fortification, the Fortino del Colle delle Finestre. The trail continues to the left of the fort, and when dark rocks are seen the trail disappears but can be found again by bypassing the rocky prominence on the right; from there it is visible again, going down and up.

The two trail options cross shortly after on the old military road, just before a bulletin board with an information panel. Continue the climb following the road and come across a water point at the Fountan Murô spring. In this section of road there is a beautiful view over the Val Chisone side and Pian dell'Alpe. Then you encounter a detour due to a landslide on the road that leads to the upper hairpin. The detour is marked by a specially posted sign and the trail is indicated by white-red markings painted on rock.

At the end of the detour the trail rejoins the road and you reach the Colle della Vecchia with its very characteristic “tooth” shaped boulder, well visible also from Pian dell'Alpe.

Then follow the military road faithfully which gently climbs around a beautiful snow valley with well visible striated boulders, until you meet the Punta Mezzodì heliographic station (Observatory), which functioned as a signal repeater in communications between Forte di Fenestrelle and Forte Gran Serin, Susa and Moncenisio through light flash messages.

Continue still crossing along the route a shelter building and then the junction for Cima Ciantiplagna. At the junction there is an old sign indicating the trail to the summit, very panoramic with a 360° view of the valleys and the military road that winds along the ridge. From the summit you can either return along the ascent trail and rejoin the road at the junction, or go back 50 meters and take, in the opposite direction to the outbound route, a trail first faintly visible then increasingly evident that follows the ridge until it crosses the road again. If you don’t want to make the detour to Cima Ciantiplagna just follow the road faithfully which continues with hairpins and very panoramic stretches.

If necessary, you can replenish water by following the indicated detour along the road to a spring about 15 minutes away outside the route.

The road continues and moves to the Val Susa side where it is possible to spot two small lakes: the small lake and then the large lake just before arriving at the Gran Serin barracks. These are imposing buildings that could house up to 850 soldiers at 2550 meters altitude. The Gran Serin barracks, now in ruins, are located at a wide and flat point of the road where there is a signboard for the former military road equipped with a signboard for Le Stade dei Forti and picnic tables: it is an excellent panoramic spot with the possibility of a break also using the tables available onsite.

This fortification housed the militias operating in the fort located shortly ahead and higher up along the road. Punta Gran Serin is half an hour from the barracks: it is possible to visit it and observe the buildings and excavations that formed it. From the barracks within about 1 hour you reach the pass of Assietta, site of the famous battle fought on July 19, 1747 and today location of the traditional historical reenactment during the annual Piedmont festival.

Passing just below the head of Assietta, we can admire the obelisk bearing the Alpine eagle and continue until arriving at the Lake of Assietta and the Casa Assietta refuge.

Along the route of this stage there are two springs (only one of which is located without making a detour - see Directions to Follow), active in rainy years but they may be dry in dry years, so it is recommended to start with an adequate supply of water in your backpack.

If you come from Turin, pass Pinerolo, go up the Chisone Valley along SP 23 and, after Fenestrelle, passing the tunnel, leave the main road and turn right towards Usseaux.

You can reach the Pian dell'Alpe plateau by car, but it is also possible to park in the village of Usseaux and continue on foot.

In summer Pian dell'Alpe is accessible to cars and motorcycles, so consider the possibility of encountering many people during this season. The intermediate seasons are the best.

In winter it is also possible to go snowshoeing, if there is enough snow.

The start of this stage can also be made from Usseaux by adding detour 8a (Le Strade dei Forti - Stage 8a start from Usseaux)

Visit www.lestradedeiforti.it for more information.