Discover Roe: Mill Trails, Monviso Views and Historic Sites

The area around Roe combines trails through historic cultural landscapes with mountain views, sacred sites and excursion destinations around Paesana and Pian Munè. This character is particularly evident along the Via del Mulino in Paesana. The trail is laid out around the water mill in the Croesio hamlet; the mechanisms and water channel have been restored, and the mill has been put back into operation. At the same time, the Via del Mulino leads to the Santuario Madonna dell’Oriente, which for centuries was associated with local farmers’ prayers for rain.

Hiking Trails with History

Several trails make the area’s history an immediate part of a hike. Tra funghi e castagni in Paesana is a shady forest trail that meets the old Via del Sale near the Sant’Anna chapel in the Erasca hamlet. Le Vie Delle Fabbricanti follows paths used daily for decades by the women of the local textile mill and leads towards the Erasca hamlet with views of Monviso. The Via del Forno runs along an old unpaved path whose name refers to a former bakery near the Erasca hamlet. If you would also like to experience local working and everyday history while hiking, these trails offer different thematic approaches.

River Landscapes and Views

The Riserva Naturale di Paesana offers a quieter experience. There, an easy circular hike of approximately 2.5 kilometres runs along the Po through riverside vegetation and permanent grassland. For shorter nature experiences, this route is designed differently from the trails in the hamlets and on the mountain slopes. The Fontanone viewpoint offers views of Monviso and the Alpine arc. The viewpoint can be reached from Baita Pian Croesio in approximately 15 minutes.

Agliasco, also within the municipality of Paesana, likewise has a distinctive landscape setting: the hamlet lies in a hollow from which Monviso can be seen. The Cima Bracco and the Briccas, both summits, are also located around Roè, as is Monte Frioland, a mountain, and Punta Trento, likewise a summit. These different landscape forms allow you to distinguish between a short viewpoint walk, a circular hike and mountain-related destinations without reducing the excursions to a single trail profile.

Archaeology, Churches and Noble Residences

Near Pian Munè lies the Bric Lombatera archaeological site, with rock engravings and cup marks. The motifs are dated to the Iron Age, the first millennium BC. A former castle stood in the municipality of Paesana above the road to Pian Croesio; only its foundations remain. The Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate stands in Paesana’s Calcinere hamlet, a church dedicated to Saint Anthony Abbot and dating from the 19th century.

The Castello di Bagnolo, a castle, is located around Roè. The Palazzo Roletto, Palazzo Ricca di Castelvecchio and Palazzo Cacherano are also located there, each a palace. Another historical trace can be found in Paesana’s Ghisola hamlet: according to local tradition, King Desiderius found refuge there; possible traces of his stay are still suspected. In this way, archaeological evidence, religious sites, former fortifications and palaces come together to represent different forms of regional history.

Winter and Marked Routes

For winter sports, there is the small Pian Munè ski resort. With two lifts, it offers up to 16 kilometres of downhill runs as well as a practice area with two conveyor belts. The Paesana trail network uses Via del Sale signposts as well as horizontal white-and-red markings. When planning longer outings, the route from Pian Munè to Testa di Garitta Nuova is a clearly described option: it follows a mule track to Pian Croesio and then continues along the ridge to the summit; the walking time is approximately two and a half hours.

A shorter alternative is the Passeggiata S. Maria in Paesana, an approximately two-hour panoramic walk with around 135 metres of elevation gain. In addition, the activities of the Migrans project take place at Bric Lombatera. They are carried out by staff from Parco del Monviso and are open to interested individuals and volunteer birdwatchers without prior registration. In 2026, the project will take place at Bric Lombatera for the 29th time. As an alternative for the educational activity, Bric Lombatera can be used as the starting area; the walk then begins from the forecourt of the Pian Munè mountain hut.

Other destinations: Ceva, Cartignano, Murazzano, Casteldelfino, Borgomale, Morozzo, Mango, Boves

For the general travel overview: Cuneo.