Alagna Valsesia: Trails, Walser Culture and Winter Sports

Alagna Valsesia combines trails through alpine valleys with Walser culture, sacred art, historic mills and winter sports. It also offers a botanical garden, information panels about rocks and soils, and activities on the Sesia River. If you would like to combine nature, culture and activity in one trip, you can shape your stay around these different focal points.

Trails through valleys and alpine landscapes

West of Alagna’s town centre, the Valle di Otro opens up. It can only be reached on foot via a steep mule track in about an hour. The Sentiero Glaciologico runs through part of the Valle del Sesia and continues through the Vallone di Bors, from Acqua Bianca to Alpe Fun d’Ekku.

The Percorso geologico-pedologico di Cimalegna is a circular trail with eight information panels on the geological history of this section of the Alpine chain, the rocks found there and the soils. At the Giardino Botanico at Alpe Fum Bitz, you can see magnificent blooms that are particularly worth admiring from late spring through summer. This gives your travel period a clear seasonal focus without pushing Alagna’s other themes into the background.

Walser culture and historic sites

The Museo Walser in the hamlet of Pedemonte is housed in a furnished traditional dwelling and conveys the lifestyle and traditions of the Walser people. The Ecomuseo Walser envisages a system that connects dwellings, mills, sawmills, ovens and alpine pastures as thematic elements of Walser life. Culture is therefore evident both in a specific dwelling and in a broader context.

The parish church of S. Giovanni Battista contains treasures of sacred art. Its style combines influences from north of the Alps with those of Valsesia and culminates in a monumental high altar dating from the period after the Counter-Reformation. The Oratorio di San Nicolao in Alagna dates from the 17th century. Together, these buildings and artistic references create distinct historical accents.

The traditional crafts are also tangible: the sawmill in the hamlet of Resiga dates from the 19th century and is powered by the water of the waterfall on the Torrente d’Otro stream. The watermills in the hamlet of Uterio have been associated with processing grain into flour since the 16th century. Both examples connect local history with the use of water.

Winter sports and activities on the river

Another range of options opens up in winter. Alagna provides access to the Monterosa Ski network, which connects Alagna, Gressoney and Champoluc. The Monterosa Ski resort accessible from Alagna includes alpine skiing, snowboarding, telemark skiing and freeriding. The Wold ski area in the hamlet of Merletti also has a tobogganing area.

Rafting, canyoning and hydrospeed are available on the Sesia River. The range of activities thus extends from observing blooms at the Giardino Botanico, through educational trails and Walser houses, to snow and river sports. You can explore Alagna Valsesia according to your interests and preferred pace instead of limiting your trip to just one type of experience.

More places to consider for your trip

For your trip planning, you can also consider Rima, San Genuario, Valduggia, Rimella, Campertogno, Cigliano, Livorno Ferraris and Rimasco.

For the overview of the wider travel area: Vercelli.