At the springs of Po river

Tour description

Province: Cuneo
Suggested bicycle: racing bicycle, city bike
Difficulty: very hard
Depart: Paesana
End: Pian del Re
Total distance: 20,5 Km
Soil type: asphalt
Suggested period: from April to June; from September to October

Highlights and tour details

This short but intense tour will make you reach the Po river springs, with spectacular views over the Western Alps.

The route starts from Paesana, at 614 mt above the sea level, a locality between the Monviso and the Montebracco. Paesana has a record of patron day celebrations: St. Joseph, Santa Margherita, the Assumption and St. Bernard. The presence of the ancient human is proved by a large group of stone engravings, concentrated on the Bric Lombatera in the area of Pian Mune, at 1384 metres above the sea level. The engravings and placement of boulders suggest an ancient place of worship. From Paesana the road goes up gently, towards the crossroads to Oncino. Past the deviation to Ostana, after some challenging bends you will get to Crissolo (1318 mt). A steep stretch leads to the centre of this small village, where there is the Sanctuary of San Chiaffredo, then you will ride through the villages of Serre and Borgo. Here you will start the most difficult and challenging stretch up to 1715 mt in Pian Melzi, known as Pian della Regina. After a series of diagonals you will arrive to Pian del Re at 2020 mt, where there are the Po springs. This area, with a surface of 465 hectares, was declared Special Nature Reserve of Cuneo's Po Park. For its wealth of water, there is a peat bog and some rare amphibians, including the black salamander of Lanza.
The Pian del Re was twice the arrival of the Giro d'Italia, in 1991 and 1992, where the champions Massimiliano Lelli and Marco Giovanetti won.

Where to sleep

Hotel Ristorante La Colletta
Via Colletta, 29 - cap 12034 – Paesana (Cuneo)
Tel. Tel. 0175 945321
Email: info@lacolletta.com
Web: www.lacolletta.com

B&B Dolce Dormire
Fraz. Torriana Via Prov.le Saluzzo, 44 cap 12032 – Barge (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 343034
Email: stefi.simo@tiscali.it
Web: www.val-bb.it/dolcedormire.asp

Il Bosco delle Terrecotte
Via Vigne di Spagna, 18 cap 12032 – Barge (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 343671
Email: segreteria@ilboscodelleterrecotte.it
Web: www.ilboscodelleterrecotte.it

Agriturismo / B&B "el cavajer"
Loc. San Firmino Via Roncaglia, 4 cap 12036 – Revello (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 273134
Email: info@elcavajer.it
Web: www.elcavajer.it

Agriturismo "La Virginia"
Fraz. Morra San Martino Via Valle Po, 70 cap 12036 – Revello (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 259026
Email: info@lavirginia.it
Web: www.lavirginia.it