Canavese High Way (Avc)

The idea of an Alta Via Canavesana comes from the Canavese sections of the Italian Alpine Club (Rivarolo Canavese, Forno Canavese, sub-section of Sparone). The route, divided into 13 stages, starts and ends in Pont Canavese, touching the Val Gallenca, the Tesso and Malone valleys, the Orco and Soana Valleys, and the Valle Sacra. A connecting stretch is proposed that leads from Forno Canavese (the historical starting point of the itinerary) to Monte Soglio, joining the main track of the itinerary.

There are many attractions and extraordinary elements encountered along the way. From a naturalistic point of view, from Ceresole Reale to the Soana Valley, the AVC passes through the extraordinary environmental context of the Piedmontese side of the Gran Paradiso National Park, also traversing sections of the Royal Hunting Roads established by Vittorio Emanuele II. Along the AVC, one encounters a series of sanctuaries that hosted miraculous events (the Milani in Forno, Prascondù in Ribordone), magical places like the Piani delle masche, enchanted villages, votive columns, and ancient parish churches (Santa Elisabetta, Santa Maria di Doblazio). In Ceresole Reale, one can visit the historical sites of mountaineering and tourism in Canavese. The flora and fauna, even outside the Park area, offer extraordinary close encounters with birds of prey, ibex, and chamois, marmots, grazing herds, alpine blooms, and expanses of eriophorum, forests, and green pastures. The highlight is undoubtedly the landscapes of the AVC: glacial ponds and imposing hydroelectric basins, rock walls, peaks of 3000 meters, and the 4000 of Gran Paradiso, valleys, and hills.

The overall route involves over thirteen thousand meters of elevation gain. The difficulty of the route is hiking level, although some steep sections are challenging and require great attention. Only a few initial stages do not provide the possibility of overnight stays in a bivouac or refuge, making it necessary to use a sleeping bag and tent. The itinerary has been marked with white and red colors.