Via di Sant'Anna - St Anne's Path

La Via di Sant'Anna (St Anne's Path) has a centuries-old history linked to the Sanctuary, located in a side valley of the Stura Valley at an altitude of 2035 m, in the place indicated in an apparition, as legend has it, by St Anne to the young shepherdess Anna Bagnis.

For decades now it has been a tradition for the inhabitants of the Cuneo area to tackle this route, leaving in the evening from various locations and arriving at their destination in the morning, after walking all night on the main asphalt road. This new route gives everyone the chance to experience the emotion of this walk, following the paths and historical routes of the Stura Valley. You will encounter unspoilt natural places, ancient chapels, isolated villages and the most beautiful historical centres of the various villages crossed.

 

The Path can be walked in four stages.

Unlike other famous international itineraries, this one has a more limited overall length (65 km) and was created not only for its historical importance, but also to introduce novices to this type of territorial proposal and for those who are not used to or do not have the time to tackle longer and more demanding routes.

Moreover, given the possibility of using it in a completely personalised way, reducing the number of days of walking or moving with a tent, it can also be a "training path" to prepare for longer pilgrimage routes.

 

Routes:

1 - Cuneo - Roccasparvera: 19.6 km - 400 m of altitude difference

2 - Roccasparvera - Demonte 17.2 km - 620 m of altitude difference

3 - Demonte - Vinadio 14.4 km - 620 m of altitude difference

4 - Vinadio - Sant'Anna Sanctuary 12.6 km - 1140 m of altitude difference

 

The accommodation facilities are located along the entire route and not only at the stage destinations. It is therefore possible to customise the days by modifying the length of each stage at will, making it take fewer days or starting in a different place.

 

Short variants:

The proposed variants are not to be considered as "extras", but as real icing on the cake. If you have the time, we recommend that you take the time to do them all, so as to enrich your experience even more.

  •   Variant - ascent to the Sanctuary of Monserrato (stage 1): 2.5 km in length and 100 metres in height difference. This is a variant that leads to the beautiful Sanctuary, with beautiful views over the plain. The alternative route ends just outside Borgo San Dalmazzo.      GPS track

 

  •   Ascent to the ruins of Roccasparvera Castle (stage 1) + 1 km and 30 metres of climbing. Round trip.   GPS track

 

  •   Variant to the Grotte di Aisone (stage 3), length 2 km and a difference in altitude of 135 metres. The variant adds about 60 metres in height difference and 700 metres in development to the stage and takes place on a hiking trail, which is steep in parts.   GPS track

 

  •   Variant - ascent to Forte Neghino (stage 3), length 6.1 km, difference in altitude 270 metres. The variant adds around 250 metres in height difference and 5 km to the stage, but the distinctive elliptical fortress and the view from the panoramic terrace over Vinadio are certainly worth the extra effort.    GPS track

 

Attention: the variants are not marked on the ground, so it is necessary to download the GPS tracks in order to be sure to follow them safely.



On the hottest days of the summer, some passages may be more challenging due to the temperatures; it is therefore advisable to stop in the middle hours at a cosy inn in the valley or under the shade in a forest.