From Montà to Pocapaglia, from Cisterna d’Asti to Corneliano, you encounter a unique territory: villages perched on cliffs hundreds of meters deep; dry microclimates coexisting alongside extremely humid ones; traces of peasant life surviving the temptations of modernity. All this is called the Ecomuseum of the Rocche del Roero, a true open-air museum, consisting of eight municipalities established after the year 1000 on the fault of the so-called Rocche, spectacular sandy spires with fascinating and bizarre shapes, caused by a geological erosion process that, in ancient times, characterized this central portion of Roero.
Despite its wild profile, the Ecomuseum is a very accessible territory, also recommended for families with children for walks on foot, mountain biking, or horseback riding on the ancient paths of the peasants; with visits to farms that raise bees and produce honey; to centuries-old trees, such as the Castagna Granda, a monumental chestnut tree about 400 years old, perhaps the oldest in Europe, which christens a magnificent trail starting from Monteu Roero.
There are also fruit and vegetable farms, renowned for producing hazelnuts, chestnuts, grapes, and other seasonal fruits. The headquarters of the Ecomuseum of the Rocche del Roero is in Monta’, at Piazza Vittorio Veneto 27, phone 0173.976181, where you can book excursions and guided tours.
Another place not to be missed is the Roero Forest Park, in the municipality of Sommariva Perno, reachable via the Alba-Torino state road. It is a forest of over one hundred hectares, almost one-third covered by centuries-old trees, while the rest is a mosaic of oak, wild cherry, hornbeam, maple, poplar, birch, and alder trees. A place to relax body and mind, equipped with rest and picnic areas; a gym-sports route, a soccer field, and a playground for the little ones.
Information: Roero Forest Park, Cascina del Mago locality, Sommariva Perno, Piazza IV Novembre 6/3, phone 0172.46637
