Piancavallo–Pian Vadà Geological Trail along the Strada Cadorna

From Pian Cavallo to Pian Vadà and Zeda, the route follows cart tracks, footpaths and fortifications that form part of the ‘Cadorna Line’, built during the First World War as a military road and now a valuable resource for mountain hiking. The route is already marked by a series of information panels, installed as part of a major conservation and restoration project for the structures of the Cadorna Line, carried out by the park and the Municipality of Aurano with funding from the Ministry of the Environment and Interreg. The strategic geographical location of the defensive lines, combined with the topographical positioning of the fortified posts, now offers magnificent scenery and extraordinary views stretching as far as the Apennines, Mount Monviso and the Insubrian lakes below.

The geological theme offers an extraordinary opportunity to explore the phenomena of continental formation and Alpine orogenesis as they relate to the so-called ‘Lake Series’. The chosen itinerary, with scientific support from the University of Milan, is ideally suited to illustrating the complex geological phenomena that lead to the formation and growth of the continental crust. Evidence of a succession of events that took place over a period of around 300 million years – and which can be linked to the planet’s global tectonics – is in fact visible on the ground. As part of the project, the sites best suited to highlighting the lithological and geomorphological features under study were identified, and the most appropriate locations for the installation of 13 explanatory panels were then selected.

Link: Via Geoalpina: Stage 1a Piancavallo – Pian Vadà | PiemonteOutdoor