The bride of the air
Suggestions
Suggestions
A trip from Turin to the Lanzo Valleys mountains gives you a chance to discover an 1893 epic: an adventurous honeymoon by the “Stella” aerostat. An original way to hike along mountain trails also suitable for families.
Suggested period
from mid July to mid September
Starting point
Balme
Duration
4 nights – 5 days
Price reduction
for children up to 12 years of age
On October 7, 1893, the fifty-year widower industrialist from Turin Giuseppe Chardonnet marries his housekeeper’s daughter Annetta Demichelis. Chardonnet, “air captain”, publicly announces that, at the end of the wedding ceremony, he and his bride would take off for their honeymoon. The next day, shortly after resuming the trip, updrafts within the clouds carry the balloon away. Towards the evening, the “Stella” crashes against the Uja di Bessanese slopes. The travelers survive the impact but it will take them two days to reach the valley below…
Following the unlucky bride and groom steps, on the first day you will descend from Balme to Turin (you could do it by railroad using the Torino Piemonte Card), to visit:
Having returned to Balme, the next day you will climb to Rifugio Gastaldi and stay overnight. The next day, you will reach Punta Adami, at the foot of Uja di Bessanese. You will then return to Balme in the afternoon. The following day, before leaving, you may visit the Ecomuseo delle Guide Alpine di Balme and, eventually the Acque Minerali del Pian della Mussa plant and/or the “Cà du Roc”cheese factory.
Suggestions
“… Few English mountaineers are familiar with the Lanzo Valleys, which range from the northwest of Turin to the Alps dividing Italy from France. The few of them who visited them have certainly been struck by Balme position in Val d’Ala. The village is surrounded by steep cliffs and dominated by the gigantic Bessanese rocky massif (11.917 ft) closing the valley. Antonio Castagneri, the great Italian guide, lived here…” (W.A.B. Coolidge 1890, on “The Alpine Journal”)
Suggested period
From (mid) June to mid September
Starting point
Balme
Duration
2 nights – 3 days minimum
A trip to the origins , in the Turin mountaineering cradle, to discover historical routes on the Val d’Ala final mountains, on topographers and first alpine guides’ footsteps. Everything started in the 1857 summer. Engineer Tonini, employed by the Savoy royal land registry, and Ambrosini, his assistant for trigonometric survey operations, climbed the main Valley summits (Ciamarella, Bessanese, Croce Rossa, and Uja di Mondrone). Later on the English mountaineers accompanied by alpine guides, arrived.
A vacation, fit for you, devoted to classic mountaineering. Skill is required to judge and know how to tackle the climbing ground. The true difficulty is not climbing grades but the rock variety and your ability to locate clue passages, at times misleading. On your own or guided by experts’ skill, it will be possible to choose among several itineraries.
Suggestions
A suggested vacation for a first “soft” approach with nature and all of our territory peculiarities, accessible to everybody. It is a step by step feelings and experiences discovery. With a joelette help it will be possible, at first, to realize what we suggested, then …. with willpower and fantasy, you will be able to go further in the exploration. For the most darer, the chance to try the thrill of an accompanied two-seater paraglider flight!!
Suggested period
from May to October
Starting point
Balme
Duration
6 nights – 7 days
Price reduction
for children up to 12 years of age
Two totally accessible structures, Les Montagnards in Balme and Fermata Alpi Graie in the homonimous Groscavallo hamlet, are at the center of this vacation. With the help of a joelette, a one wheel sedan chair, it will be possible to move on open field. After a first settling-in night, the next day you will reach Pian della Mussa and will be able to travel along the winter cross-country skiing runs (according to the specific case evaluation, it could be possible to climb to Pian Ciamarella). In the afternoon, return by pista Kind with view on the “gorgia” (gorge). The next morning, you will descend along the sentiero sport & nature ala-balme and reach Ala di Stura where, after lunch, you will visit the frescoes and sundials. You will then return to Balme with a short itinerary deviation to visit the “Cà du Roc” cheese factory.
The next day you will move to Val Grande, with the opportunity to visit Castei d’le Rive or the miniera Brunetta (a mine). You will also stop at the Baratonga headquarters, to meet the staff and eventually book the paraglider flight. The next day you will reach Rivotti by car and will spend the day along the easy sentiero balcone della Val Grande. You will enjoy breathtaking views, various proofs left, in very ancient times, by withdrawing glaciers and several pastures huts. After a good resting night, the great day arrives! Weather permitting, accompanied by certified flight instructors, you will fly with the adequate paraglider your initiation flight!
A last night in the valleys and a “hope to see you soon” for a next visit!
Suggestions
A quiet vacation to approach nature and experience the first “alpine” thrills with the whole family. In a few days your family will be able to follow the “nature trail” and discover the “Foresta di Sherwood” (an outdoor collection of wooden sculptures along the trails surrounding Balme). You will also be able to enter “Labirinto Sotterraneo” meanders and, imagining being a mountaineer, discover rock climbing and much more.
Suggested period
From June to September
Starting point
Balme
Duration
6 nights – 7 days
Price reduction
for children up to 12 years of age
Les Montagnards is a mountain hut fully accessible and structured for children and people with disabilities. You will find menus prepared with local products so as to value the territory wine and food and a family environment inspired by mountain values.
The first day starts with a visit to the Ecomuseo delle Guide Alpine di Balme. After lunch, in the afternoon you will discover the Frè hamlet and life at a pasture hut, along the Val Servin nature trail, to end with the “agguato dei briganti” (bandit ambush). The next day you will walk to Pian della Mussa, discovering the last part of the “Foresta di Sherwood”, lunch and return in the afternoon for some sport activities. On the next day, the morning is spent discovering the Labirinto Sotterraneo, adventurous itinerary, ideal for children. After lunch, the afternoon offers a chance to imagine being a climber by climbing, in full security, the Massi di Balme. For an optional extra day it is possible to:
Before leaving Balme, it is possible to visit the “Cà du Roc” cheese factory.
Wir bieten die Ausrüstung an, um unser Territorium zu erkunden

Thanks to „La Piutà“ Association, at our structure, from this summer you will have the possibility to rent 2 electric assisted pedal mtb: UMB-3 Crossover. With these bikes you can travel far and wide our valleys, following the various forest trails and dirt roads. Thanks to the electric motor assisting the pedaling by an electronic circuit, even if you are not skilled bikers, you will be able to run along these various itineraries. Depending on the degree of assistance required, on the ground, surface and weight of the person, you will be able to ride up to 70 kilometers in full autonomy.
The “Joelette” is a one-wheel chair with two shafts: one in front and the other behind the seat, in order to drive or to carry it, if necessary. A suspension, a brake and a jack to adjust the shafts, complete the Joëlette features. Its use requires minimum 2 assistants. The Joëlette can be adapted to personal disability. With the Joëlette, it is possible to travel on any kind of ground, given a minimum width of 1 meter and no steps higher than 40-50 cm. It allows to frequent outdoor spaces otherwise precluded to all people with motor disabilities. With the help of a Joëlette, people with motor difficulties will be able to leave conventional transportation means and enter the nature surrounding Balme along various difficulty itineraries.


At Les Montagnards, together with „La Piutà“ Association equipment, you will find 40 pairs of snowshoes in order to also meet groups’ needs. Reservations are suggested to ensure you will find the equipment on the day of your outing. The snowshoes are easily adjustable and can be adapted to any kind of shoes (outdoor footwear recommended, at most after ski boots).
With snowshoes you will be able to explore Balme snowy nature. Beginners will find two easy-to-follow itineraries, for which the Balme Municipality guarantees the traversability according to weather and snow conditions. We remind you that, according to actual laws concerning snow terrain safety, people frequenting the backcountry, must be equipped with Arva (avalanche transceiver), shovel and probe unless they follow trails whose safety and traversability are guaranteed by a municipal administration or an institution.
The „La Piutà“ Association rent cross country ski equipment at our facility. You will find skis, poles and shoes for everyone (shoe measures from 32 to 48) for the classic style only. The equipment available is enough to satisfy about 30 people. Telephone reservations are suggested.
About twenty kilometers of trails, from 1500 to 1800 meters of altitude, with various difficulty levels, are available in Balme. Once you have faced and completed the climb leading from Balme to Pian della Mussa, the different trails, all linked, wind along the plateau dominated by Uja di Ciamarella and Bessanese.
All trails are prepared for both classic and skating styles.
Ticket service is guaranteed, from Dicember to the end of March, on every weekend and holiday, depending on snow conditions.


Since summer 2018 we are equipped with an 8-seater multivan also set up for transportation of people with disabilities. Thus it is possible to implement the services we offer, ensuring, on customer’s request, transfers to and from the territory railway stations and airport, or luggage transportation from one posto tappa/resort to another.
Finally with this vehicle we can provide, when required or necessary, service to our partners, with whom we have been working for years and with whom we share an idea of tourism development in the area.
| Grande Traversate Alpi from 01/06/2022 to 30/09/2022 | from 16/05/2022 to 14/10/2022 | from 01/12/2021 to 15/05/2022 and from 15/10/2022 to 30/11/2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTA overnight stay
(for GTA hikers only) | € 30,00 | No | No |
| GTA ½ half board
(overnight stay + fixed menu without starters + breakfast) | € 58,00 | No | No |
| GTA ½ half board for child up to 12 years of age | € 35,00 | No | No |
| Complete breakfast
(fruit juice, morning pastry, muesli, bread, toast, butter, jam and hot drink) | € 8,00 | € 8,00 | € 8,00 |
| Complete reinforced breakfast
(fruit juice, morning pastry, muesli, bread, toast, butter, jam, eggs, ham, cheese and hot drink) | € 12,00 | € 12,00 | € 12,00 |
| Overnight stay | – | € 38,00 | € 45,00 |
| For families:
free overnight stay for n° 1 child up to 12 years of age | – | € 0,00 | € 0,00 |
| Half board | – | € 68,00 | € 75,00 |
| Half board for child up to 12 years of age
(families with 2 or more children up to 12 years of age) | – | € 40,00 | € 45,00 |
| Children menu + breakfast
(families with 1 child up to 12 years of age) | – | € 18,00 | € 18,00 |
| Full board | – | € 88,00 | € 95,00 |
| Full board for child up to 12 years of age
(families with 2 or more children up to 12 years of age) | – | € 55,00 | € 60,00 |
| 2 Children menus + breakfast
(families with 1 child up to 12 years of age) | – | € 36,00 | € 42,00 |
In case of snow-covered surrounding fields, snow shoes will be rented free to customers, the price being included in the room/stay fee.
| Menù della Guida
(2 chosen appetizers, pasta or soup, meat course, dessert and coffee) | € 28,00 |
| Menù degustazione
(5 appetizers, samples of two pastas or soups, two meats and vegetables, dessert and coffee) | € 35,00 |
| Menù bimbo
(ham or veal with tuna sauce, pasta, meat and dessert) | € 13,00 |
Grande Traversata delle Alpi
Maximum altitude reached:
Colle del Trione, 2486 m
Ascent elevation gain:
1560 m
Descent elevation gain:
1200 m
Approximate Trekking time:
8 h
Pialpetta Posto Tappa:
Albergo Setugrino
C.so Roma 10
Fraz. Pialpetta
10070 Groscavallo (TO)
Tel +39 0123.81016
Balme Posto Tappa:
Les Montagnards
Frazione Cornetti 73
10070 Balme (TO)
Tel +39 0123 233073
GPS reference point:
UTM 32T 360478 5017961 1410 m
Download:
Map
The itinerary crosses very different environments, from beech and larch woods to altitude pastures. Of particular interest are breath-taking panoramas of Ciamarellanow paved, Levanne, Gran Paradiso iced summits and, further on, of Monte Rosa. In the past, the whole area was frequented due to mining exploitation of which far away memories and visible proofs still exist.
The monolith, such as Bec Ceresin, Pera Cagni e Peròva, which you will come up to along the route, are particular both for their characteristic appearance and for the odd tales they aroused in mountain people’s fantasy and are still handed on to new generations.
From Pialpetta (1069 m), cross the creek and follow the good mule track crossing a larch wood until reaching the hollow below mountain pastures Trione (1649 m), limit of the wood. A big boulder called Pera Cagni, about which many legends are told, dominates the flatland.
It is told of a city given to the mercy of the devil so as he could destroy it. In order to accomplish his duty, he charged a huge boulder, made of solid gold, on his shoulders. He then left Monte Giove, flew over the Levanne and Col Girard, finally arriving over the Val Grande sky. It is also told that a hermit lived in the location where the Forno sanctuary is nowadays located. Seeing the devil fly over, the hermit started to intensely pray. His prayers weakened the devil who, exhausted from fatigue, let go the boulder that fell at the beginning of Piano Trione, where it now stands. The devil tried to recover the boulder but, in spite of all the labor, he did not succeed in his task. Popular imagination sees in the typical “cup formation”, visible on the boulder, traces of the wrathful devil claws. The popular saying “Calcante and Pietra Cagna are worth more than France and Spain” refers the believed great gold quantity hidden in the two boulders. As a matter of fact, in this area it is still possible to find traces of few mines, which were abandoned around 1600. A narrow tunnel, ending just after ten meters, has also been dug under Pietra Cagna.
On the opposite side, the Bec Ceresìn is visible further down. The valley has been named after this majestic rocky peak, visible from the valley floor, as Vallone del Trione (meaning of the tower).
This curious monolith, about thirty-five meters high, is the result of vertical fractures of the gneiss-granite rocks. It has always been of great interest due to the peculiarity and lumpiness of its quadrangular, truncated, pyramidal form with the greater base upward. It has been thought as unreachable for years. On the 28th of October 1926, after many attempts, a group of mountaineers from Turin climbed to the summit through the West wall by throwing a rope. As far as naturalist interest, “Bec Ceresìn” is a real wonder since, on the summit, it flourishes a scrub of “Pinups incinerate”, the only one to be found in the Lanzo Valleys, and a cherry tree, from which the monolith name. Up to a few decades ago the golden eagle used to nest on the summit. Due to the killing of an eagle chick by a hunter, the nesting site was abandoned.
At the end of the plateau, the mule track becomes a narrow and wearing trail going up the steep slope. It reaches the Gias di Mezzo (1961 m) and then Gias dei Laghi (2164 m), which is surrounded by the three little Laghi del Trione (2486 m). After a short descent, the trail, with a lot of curves, goes up a steep gully which culminates with Colle del Trione (2486 m) between Cima Leitòsa to the West and Punta del Rous to the East.
NOTE. The majestic panorama from Punta del Rous (2535 m) is worth a short deviation, which requires no more than 20 minutes.
The descent on the Val d’Ala side is very steep until reaching the hollow of Lago Vasuera (2237 m), usually almost dry at the end of the summer.
An iron pyrite body, exploited up to the XVII century, is clearly visible in the plain below the lake. The exhaustion of wood from which to obtain the charcoal necessary to melt the mineral caused the end of the mining and metallurgic activities in the Lanzo Valleys.
Descending through steep grassy slopes and crossing some gullies, you will reach at first the upper Alpi Vasuera, then the lower Alpi Vasuera and finally Pian Prà (1783 m), a wide expanse of gently sloping pastures. At the end of Pian Prà the larch wood begins. At the beginning the itinerary follows the dirt forest track and then you will find on the left a trail that crosses another larch wood. You may want to follow the dirt forest track: it also reaches Pian Bosco through a slightly longer but gentler route.
On reaching Pian Bosco (1664 m), pay attention!! You will find on your right, while descending, a boulder with the direction for Balme marked on it. Take the trail which, through little grassy plains at first and then a beech wood, will lead you to the Molera village (1478 m). Should you follow the dirt track (6 km), you would reach Mondrone, hamlet of Ala di Stura!!!
UTM 32T 362219 5019535 1656 m !!!!
he two hamlets, Molera and the underlying Molette, keep in their name memories of quarries for milling stones that were hewn and delivered everywhere in the Lanzo Valleys. The same is true for the family name Moletto: for generations this family lived here. Molette is the first hamlet you meet entering Balme village. Two hundreds meters higher, at the edge of a rock dominating the valley below, is the group of houses Molera. The location is sunny and open and, thanks to a particular favorable microclimate, some horse chestnut, cherry and walnut trees flourish in spite of the 1500 meters above sea level. On the 24th of December 1874 Antonio Castagneri, guide from Balme, and two mountaineers from Turin, Alessandro Martelli and Luigi Vaccarone, left to climb the Uja di Mondrone. It was the beginning of the Italian winter mountainereeing.
The road is now paved and you will descend until meeting the old country road. Go up for about one kilometer and a half, crossing the Chialambertetto hamlet.
The Chialambertetto houses cling to a gigantic stone slide, which seems to collapse from the Uja di Mondrone South wall. The hamlet is closed between two very steep gullies. Every time there is a heavy snowfall, avalanches slide down the gullies but they never have hit houses or killed people as it happened in all other Balme hemlets. For this reason, the little chapel has been dedicated to the Virgin of the Snow and a celebration is held on the 5th of August. The small settlement was born in the Middle Age as compound and iron forge. Its original name was “furnace” of Ala, then around ‘300 it changed in “house” or “field” of e certain Mr. Bertetto. It was an independent municipality from the XIII century to 1844 when it was incorporated in Balme municipality of which, in previous time, it was an enclave. Originally, the houses had been built higher up in the whereabouts of the modern arch bridge on the Stura creek. On the 17th of September 1665 a huge landslide destroyed them and the survivors rebuilt the hamlet further down the valley where other buildings already existed. On this occasion they also extended the little chapel already existing, as proved by the date 1677 engraved on the ridgepole. The building was then oriented not facing West as before, but South facing the new houses being built. At the end of the little village, by the trout pool, there is an ancient and characteristic “stone heap” furnace, very different from other furnaces in the valley, generally shielded by a slate roof. It probably is a legacy from the first inhabitants, miners and blacksmith from Valsesia and Bergamo. For quite a long time, these people must have cherished their ethnic and linguistic identity, just as it happened, until recent times, in Forno di Lemie, another mining village in the near Viù Valley. It was and still is a Chialambertetto tradition to knit the embroidered wool blazers typical of Balme costume.
You will now reach the Balme hollow and, leaving to your left the bridge leading to Albaron Village and Acque Minerali Pian della Mussa facility, walk another 100 meters and then follow the direction to Borgata Cornetti on your left. After 250 meters, you will find, on the right of the road, the Posto Tappa GTA “Les Montagnards”.
Frazione Cornetti 73
10070 Balme (TO)
Mobile: +39 347 36 34 082
Email: info@lesmontagnards.it
P.IVA: 10533170014
REA: TO-1141198
CIR: 001019-RIE-00002
CIN: IT001019B8UU922886
Unser Mobilfunkanbieter hat derzeit in unserer Region Probleme. Bitte wenden Sie sich an die folgende Nummer:
Wir entschuldigen uns für den Rabatt.

Rural Development Program 2014-2020
/von Utente AmministratoreFEASR Fondo europeo agricolo per lo sviluppo rurale:
L’europa investe nelle zone rurali
Rural Development Program 2014-2020
Measure 6 – Development of agricultural holdings and enterprises
Transaction 642 – Investments in the creation and development of non-agricultural activities (small and non-agricultural micro-enterprises)
From 2012 to 2018, participating to 3 GAL open calls, we have wanted to create a structure and enterprise, in our own image, open to all those who believe in nature and in mountains as a personal discovery and training element. Over time, we have combined high-altitude experiences with the reality of the mid-mountain and valley bottoms in order to let everyone know about our mountain concept.
Thanks to the first call (PSR 2007-2013 Measure 312.2) we have modernised this manor in such a way as to make it completely usable and accessible. We wanted to approach EVERYONE, from families with children to people with disabilities, offering them the opportunity to discover the mountain by steps, starting from the simplest experiences.
Total cost recognized: 219,711.71 €
Public PSR refund: 87,884.69 €
In order to also offer these experiences to people with disabilities, with the next call (PSR 2007-2013 Measure 313.2.b), we provided for the external paving, arrangement of all green areas and relative children‘s playground. We then also equipped the structure with a joelette: a special trekking chair that allows people with reduced mobility to frequent nature and the surrounding area on trails of variant difficulty.
Thanks to this joelette we have been able to participate and / or organize specific events and activities in Turin, Racconigi (CN), Bosco Marengo (AL) and of course in Balme. In time, thanks to these events, we have managed to create a collaboration network with various other associations and institutions that allow us, at this moment, to count on a dozen joelettes if necessary.
It is our belief that Mountain is for everyone, without distinction, as long as any proposed activity is in respect of sustainability, where the limit is that defined by Man’s body and psyche. In this manner each of us will be able to find incentives and live formative experiences. It is our will to spread the mountain culture all around, starting from past experiences we had in time and from relationships, collaborations and cooperations we have created over the years with professionals, organizations and associations, particularly emphasising mountain safety, prevention and sustainability.
Total cost recognized: 25,002.87 €
Public PSR refund: 10,009.15€
Finally, with the third call (PSR 2014-20 Measure 6.4.2), in order to improve services to our customers, we have bought an 8-seater multivan, equipped for transportation of people with disabilities. On request and for internal use only we can offer: shuttle service, luggage, e-bikes and joelettes transport.
This multivan will allow EVERYONE (even people with impaired mobility) to enjoy the Lanzo Valleys in complete autonomy and therefore take part in various activities that do not necessarily need departure and return to the facility. Specifically, with such vehicle, there are no territorial limits within which to propose activities: you can leave Balme’s borders, you can move to other municipalities and valleys.
With this vehicle we can provide, when required or necessary, service to our partners, with whom we have been working for years and with whom we share an idea of tourism development in the area.
Total cost recognized: 28,457.86 €
Public PSR refund: 14,228.93 €
The bride of the air
/von Utente Amministratore