SAMPEYRE, VALLE VARAITA
PATH OF SARVANOT: VALLE VARAITA
Comune di Sampeyre, Rore hamlet
1 km (0.6 mi) one way
Spectacular itinerary from the village of Rore through the woods to the Tumpi la Pisso falls. But be careful! The Sarvanots will be watching you. Can you find them all? And while you’re at it, why not take a brief detour to sit in a giant bench?! You can leave your car at the edge of the village near a grocery store, across from which the itinerary begins (signs). Pass between the final houses of the village, and keep your eyes peeled for your first Sarvanot sighting! But what in the world are these Sarvanots?
Please note that itineraries may include roads where motor vehicles are allowed. Authors and trail testers are not responsible for the information contained.
On the return trip, be careful of the various side trails, which can cause some confusion. Be sure to stay along the river and always take the more evident trail to the right. The trail can be slippery at times, especially during the autumn months when covered in fallen leaves. Avoid rainy days when the rock of the trail becomes wet and slippery.
The Stages
the route
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They are hairy, mischievous sprites of the Valle Varaita who love the rain and amuse themselves by throwing walnuts at the villagers’ windows to awaken them with a start from their peaceful slumber. At the fountain, follow the signs to the right along a narrow trail as you climb up to a cart track. Turn left here and head uphill. From here on, you will stay along the Ciantorane river on this clearly marked cart track until you reach a notice board.
Here, either now or on the return trip, you could take a brief detour to the right along a short, steep trail (about a hundred meters long with an elevation gain of about twenty meters) to a giant, bright orange and blue bench, which is one of the many Big Benches that dot the province of Cuneo, all of which are the work of the artist Chris Bangle and help adults, too, feel like children again as they enjoy the panorama.
From the information board, continue along the grassy track to the input system of the Sampeyre - Brossasco canal. Cross the Ciantorane river twice across stone and cement bridges. A bit further on, another panel describes the local flora and the cart track becomes a trail and starts to climb fairly steeply. At each fork in the trail, keep to the left to say along the river. When the trail flattens out, look out for the Sarvanots! They like to hide in the foliage, so you’ll need to look carefully if you want to catch them off guard.
You will soon pass along a narrowing of the trail through the rock alongside a wooden guard rail to a rest area with a table and benches near a large rock formation. An information panel here warns that you are now in the domain of the Sarvanots. You may have seen few of them thus far, but from now on you will need to be very careful, because they’re everywhere! Some hidden, but some right out in plain view.
The trail continues gradually upward and crosses a wood bridge near an old landslide to take you to a clearing near the river. Another wood bridge, a brief climb, and one final bridge and you’ll be at the spectacular basin beneath the Tumpi la Pisso falls.