Cycling
“A man, alone, at the top of the race, his jersey is white and light-blue, his name is Fausto Coppi". It was 1949, and the words of the commentary of the Cuneo – Pinerolo stage of the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) announced the birth of an indelible legend among the mountains of Piemonte. The Greatest Champion rode his bike, alone, on Colle della Maddalena, Vars, Izoard, Monginevro and Sestriere and, on the road to Pinerolo finish line, he left rival Gino Bartali stand, with a gap of 11’52’’. The greatest champions, such as Coppi and Girardengo, the famous mountain stages and the great classical stages, like the Milano-Torino, made great Piemonte cyclism and its history. However, reducing the opportunities offered by Piemonte to bike lovers to the climb of Maddalena or to the itineraries among the hills of Tortona would be reductive. Bringing your bike in this region gives you the chance to look closely at a fascinating landscape with many different aspects. You can plan a bike trekking itinerary aimed at the discovery of Vercelli’s rice fields, or ride through the vineyards in the Langhe area. You can even choose to retrace the path of armies which invaded Italy by crossing Valsusa or to ride along the ancient Via del Sale (the Road of Salt), joining Piemonte, Lombardia, Emilia Romagna and Liguria, to discover the network of ancient roads and mule tracks moving towards the Apennine.
Many itineraries are on asphalt roads, though a mountain bike allows to ride safely even on dirt roads, giving one more chance to enjoy the marvellous treasures of Piemonte’s natural parks or study personalised excursions, like, for instance, a tour of the hills of Torino, among Chieri and Bandissero. Finally, during summer, many ski tows re-open, giving downhill lovers the possibility of choosing among the most interesting Italian routes for cross country bikes.
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Places
Filatoio Rosso di Caraglio
The Filatoio (Spinning Mill), built between 1676 and 1678, is an extraordinary example of 17th century Piemonte “industrial architecture”. Today, completely restored, it houses the Museo Regionale della Seta (Regional Silk Museum), as well as contemporary art shows.
Palazzo Callori a Vignale Monferrato
The building, erected during the 15th century, houses Monferrato’s Regional Wine Cellar (Enoteca). The ancient cellars in tuff are still used to store prized wines and grappas.
Castello di Mazzè
In the ancient underground parts of the medieval castle is the Museo della Tortura (Museum of Torture): tools and methods from the Holy Inquisition. The building is surrounded by a large park with a scenic view looking out over the Canavese.
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People
Gianni Farinetti
"I was born in Bra, in the Langhe. I have a true affinity for the countryside. Piemonte is a land rich in moods and history, literary history as well: Arpino, Levi, Ginzburg, and the best loved of all, Beppe Fenoglio – but also many recent writers. In fact, no other Italian city has produced so many beginnings in the last several years as Torino."
Cristina Tardito
"Torino is a somber and very refined city that knows how to combine the ancient splendor of Palazzo Madama with the modern rush of the Olympic sites. I would like to take foreigners out on a Torino bar hop or take them out on the Po in a canoe."
Luciana Littizzetto
"I like living in Toino. It has a singular beat. The accent is an important source of inspiration: it’s slow, deliberate, not suited for funny moments, but if it’s natural and not affected, it works and makes you laugh."
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