Pontechianale between Swiss pine forests, winter sports and textile culture

Pontechianale brings together the Bosco dell’Alevè, Lago di Pontechianale, alpine winter activities, Colle dell’Agnello and textile traditions. This combination of landscape, winter sports and established culture gives the town several distinctive facets. Churches, patron-saint festivals and the annual Fiera dell’Alevè add specific cultural occasions to these themes.

Landscape and history at Lago di Pontechianale

The Bosco dell’Alevè covers approximately 600 hectares and consists almost entirely of Swiss pine trees. Alongside Lago di Pontechianale and Colle dell’Agnello, the Swiss pine forest forms an independent natural feature in Pontechianale’s landscape. The forest therefore represents the alpine natural side of the town, while the lake connects its history with a profound intervention in the former settlement landscape. Lago di Pontechianale was created by a dam built in 1942, whose construction flooded the former hamlet of Chiesa. The flooding of the hamlet is therefore directly linked to the lake’s history of origin.

Winter sports, ice climbing and Colle dell’Agnello

In winter, the Pontechianale ski resort is the main focus. It has one chairlift and four ski lifts, providing access to 15 kilometres of slopes for alpine skiing. The waterfalls and couloirs of Pontechianale offer another winter activity, forming an ice-climbing area. The winter activities therefore range from alpine skiing to ice climbing. The ascent to Colle dell’Agnello reaches 2,744 metres and has been included several times in stages of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. Its altitude of 2,744 metres and its repeated inclusion in race stages make Colle dell’Agnello a specific point of interest for cycling enthusiasts planning a trip.

Textile museum, churches and traditional dress

Pontechianale’s cultural side is reflected in its museum, churches and festivals. The Museo del Costume e dell’Artigianato Tessile presents textile traditions such as bobbin lace-making, horsehair processing and the use of special looms to produce ribbons. The cultural dimension thus extends from craft techniques and sacred furnishings to the use of traditional dress at patron-saint festivals. The churches provide two distinct points of interest: the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio in Chianale has Romanesque-Gothic origins, while the Chiesa di San Lorenzo has a polychrome wooden altar in the apse. At the patron-saint festivals in Pontechianale, traditional dress is worn by men, women and children.

Fiera dell’Alevè in June

The Fiera dell’Alevè takes place every year on the third Sunday in June in the streets of Pontechianale. The event includes markets selling typical handicraft, culinary and food-and-wine products. During a stay in Pontechianale, the town’s winter sports activities and the date of the Fiera dell’Alevè fall in different seasons: in winter, the ski resort with one chairlift, four ski lifts and 15 kilometres of slopes, as well as the ice-climbing area, are the main attractions; on the third Sunday in June, the Fiera takes place in the town’s streets.

Other places: Mompiano De Trezzo Tinella, La Morra, Stroppo, Serravalle Langhe, Piasco, Clavesana, Bagni Di Vinadio, Lequio Tanaro

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