Chestnut Tree Route

The Municipality of Montà is renowned as the place where more than half the most ancient chestnut trees in whole Roero grow. Largely widespread in the whole area since ancient Roman age, today chestnut tree is significantly present in the Rocche municipalities (the so-called “Comuni delle Rocche”) only. Today they are centuries-old trees, whose magnificent beauty strongly characterizes the local landscape.

The trail is definitely intriguing and it is 300 meters above sea level, i.e. lower than any other area dedicated to chestnut trees. Its key strength is a unique chestnut tree variety: maturing in September, it produces the so-called “castagna della Madonna” (literally, Holy Mary’s chestnut).

The path starts from Centro outdoor Valle delle Rocche (the Rocche Valley outdoor centre) finding its way through plenty of vineyards and orchards opening into a panoramic valley, to go on along some Rocche ridges and deepening into a shadowed descending path twisting among chestnut trees and oaks, as far an artificial lake where hikers can enjoy bird watching from a camouflage wood shed. The following trail section is the most adventurous – twisting through the humid valley it gradually ascends toward the so-called Via Lunga (literally, “the long route”), an easy wide sandy dirt road.

Going back toward Montà, the trail takes hikers to bric Torniola. Here the most imposing chestnut trees outstand: they are specimens of a chestnut tree variety that matures in September and produces the so-called “castagna della Madonna” (literally, Holy Mary’s chestnut).

TRAIL AUDIO GUIDE: to make use of the audio guide with integrated gpx track, you can download the free app Izi.Travel on your smartphone and activate the geolocation: in this way an automatic narration will be activated in the points of interest telling stories and curiosities.
Audio guide pre-viewable also on browser by clicking here.