Historic Mountain Routes | The Salt Road in Cerisola

On the route there is an ancient medieval "humpback" stone bridge, called della Cianca, located near the chapel dedicated to San Giovanni Battista which leads under the rocky spur of Pian dei Fiori, a magical place linked to many stories of witches,. Here stood what was once the Cerisola Castle, as witnessed by a writing from 1276.

In this first stretch there is also a "neviera" - a cave in which snow was collected in the past in winter to be used in the hot season for cooling food and drinks - and an ancient furnace. Upon arrival in Villa Chiesa, whose frescoes dated 1461 by Segurano Cigna are now exhibited in the municipal hall, you can admire the parish church of San Pietro and the square with the ancient wash houses.

Leaving the hamlet, after the asphalted stretch you return to the dirt road that leads to Arma Veirana or to the Via del Sale which continues to Erli. The Arma Veirana cave itself is a center for studies and visits: the excavation campaigns begun in 2015 have testified to the presence of Neanderthal men in the area, leading to the discovery of thousands of stone finds and the burial of a little girl 10,000 years ago.