IN AUTO
ON THE NAPOLEONIC ROAD OF MONCENISIO
Colle del Moncenisio (in French Col du Mont Cenis) is a pass in the Cottian Alps that connects Susa and Turin with the French department of Alta Moriana (Haute Maurienne) in Savoy. During the winter the snow is not cleared from the pass which is a natural park. Towards the end of May the snow melts and the pass becomes passable.
In ancient times, in the center of the pass there was a natural lake much smaller than the current one. A first dam was built in 1921 and in 1968 the large basin that we can see now was built. The building where the insiders resided, in the Gran Croix area, was transformed into a hotel restaurant with the name Hotel Malamot. The lake feeds the Enel hydroelectric plant in Venaus in Val di Susa and the French one of the Edf (Électricité de France) in Villarodin.
Sign of the Colle del Moncenisio
This Savoyard territory was disputed between the abbey of Novalesa and the diocese of Turin and Susa. From a geographical point of view it is located on the Italian territory. In fact, the waters of the artificial lake of Moncenisio flow into the river Cenischia which descends into the Val di Susa and is a left tributary of the Doria Riparia which flows into the river Po. Rhone. But in 1947, due to the war damage caused by the Italy that it had lost, France obtained in the Treaty of Paris that the whole plateau where the lake is now located was annexed to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. On the hill you can see the remains of the old border and the current customs office.
French customs
Customs has been closed for a long time. Until recently, people came and went from France without being stopped. It is now manned by the French gendarmerie who stop migrants as they try to enter France from the crossing.
Benedictine Abbey of Saints Peter and Andrew in Novalesa
The Colle was also claimed by the village of Ferrera Cenisio for the control of the pass and the exploitation of the woods and pastures. At the foot of the hill, in Italian territory, stands the Novalesa abbey which was founded in the eighth century. It is located in the municipality of Novalesa on the old via regia which was used by pilgrims to cross the pass. In some places it coincides with the Via Francigena, that is the "road of the Franks", the pilgrims who from Northern Europe went on pilgrimage to Rome. Some continued on to Brindisi, where they embarked for the Holy Land.
Venaus
Lanslebourg
Forts of Esselion
NOVALESA - A must-do itinerary.
Even today the town is built in front of theNovalesa Abbey, which in its splendid isolation in the middle of the meadows on the west side of the Val Cenischia, for thirteen centuries it has been the cornerstone of the life of the town.
A street village
With its typical alpine architecture, Novalesa is a street village built around the Via Maestra, part of the ancient road of France that from the Middle Ages (with the foundation ofNovalesa Abbey by i Franks in 726) in the 19th century led to the Colle del Moncenisio The passage of the international road made the town of Novalesa and its inns an essential stopover at the foot of the pass, decreeing its economic fortune and leaving valuable Alpine works of art on site.
Foot of the Mountain
Between the 12th and 13th centuries, on the busy Via Francigena, at the base of the alpine pass of the Moncenisio an ecclesiastical building that existed before the parish church and now deconsecrated was already referred to as S. Maria ad Pedem Montis Cenisii, or S. Maria de Pedemontio.
There are several interesting places in this town in the Cenischia valley.
Novalesa Abbey
Among the meadows in front of the town stands theNovalesa Abbey, dating back to 726 AD and surrounded by ancient chapels placed among the meadows. Founded by the Franks at the foot of Colle del Moncenisio serving the Via Francigena, has recently been restored and houses, in addition to the valuable frescoed chapel of S. Eldrado (11th century, with a double cycle on Eldrado and su_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b- 136bad5cf58d_St. Nicholas of Bari, one of the earliest examples in Western Europe), internationally known, an archaeological museum and a book restoration museum.
The burial of a man accompanied by a shell was found at the Abbey, probably a returning pilgrim da Santiago de Compostela[6].
Antoine de Lonhy (workshop), polyptych of the Nativity, c. 1500 (Novalesa, church of S. Stefano)
Parish Church of Santo Stefano
The parish church of Santo Stefano in the town center with the diocesan museum of sacred art hosts works from the eighth to the eighteenth century, partly coming from the suppression of the Novalesa Abbey.
Ethnographic Museum
The small local ethnographic museum is located along the Via Maestra formerly traveled by pilgrims of the Via Francigena and by merchants. Inside it preserves objects and environments typical of the rural civilization that characterized the village until the whole of the twentieth century.
Novalesa, rock engraving
Rock engravings
As evidence of the ancient frequentation of the place and its alpine pastures, there are numerous rock engravings on site.
Medieval inn House of frescoes
The House of frescoes recently recovered by the municipality that acquired it as a municipal heritage, is a former medieval inn with a well-preserved double internal environment. Only one other case is known in the Alps of a preserved environment of this type, in Val Pusteria, in addition to a citizen a Moncalieri[ Probably to be identified with the Locanda della Croce Bianca mentioned in documents starting from the 14th century, it has frescoes on the facade with the coats of arms of the European regions of origin and destination of the patrons of the inn[8], stage point of the Via Francigena, variant of Moncenisio e which exploited the location of the country at the base of the Colle del Moncenisio. Internally, the House has geometric fresco decorations with writings left by the patrons over time. During the restoration, the writing of a pilgrim of Polish origin was found.
Lanslebourg
LANSLEBOURG - FRANCE
STRONG IN THE ESSELION
Once arrived, you can go down the valley to the left and arrive at the Esselion Forts.
The Esseillon Barrier or Esseillon Forts is a series of five fortifications built in the 19th century
on a rocky spur that blocks the high valley of theArc, on the municipality of Aussois (Valley of the Maurienne, to six
kilometres
upstream of Modane), to protect Piedmont from a possible French invasion.
It includes four forts and one forts, which bear the names of members of the Savoy family.
Forte Maria Cristina: it was one of the two points at the northern extremes of the entrenched camp.
It held the Aussois plateau and the Maurienne valley up to Modane under fire.
Today it has been completely restored and houses a hostel and a hotel
Forte Carlo Alberto: it was the other stronghold of the entrenched camp to the north, holding
the Aussois plateau is also under fire. Its construction was never completed.
Forte Carlo Felice: located in close protection of the Vittorio Emanuele Fort and the Esseillon hill
it was the only fort partially dismantled by the French following the clauses of the Treaty of Turin.
Today it is in ruins.
Forte Vittorio Emanuele: it was the most important work of the entire complex, it could accommodate
a garrison
of 1500 men and was the headquarters of the command of the square, the hospital and the church. Extended on several
levels, with a difference in height
of over 150 meters, it kept the road to Mont Cenis as well as the lower valley under fire. They are in progress
restoration work and is open to the public.
Reduced Maria-Teresa: the only work placed on the left bank of the Arc had the task of close defense
of the bridge over the Nant stream. Today it has been completely renovated and houses a bar and a museum.
The construction technique is the same as that of the Piedmontese forts of Exilles, Bard, Vinadio.
A drawbridge allows the passage over the thirty meter wide moat at that point.
All gunboats are equipped with cross vaults supported by mighty columns. The dimension
of the work allowed
the presence of a large number of soldiers, there were also two ovens, with a capacity of 250 rations
of bread each; the governor's palace, which is the longest barracks; barracks for soldiers e
a prison; in 1859 the fort had 88 gunboats
of which 35 in casemates; now there are 41, evidently new gunboats have been opened
after the annexation to France.
The fort can be visited, some parts have been restored, others are closed and unsafe.
Reference site: https://www.savoie-mont-blanc.com/offre/fiche/les-forts-de-l-esseillon/336706
VAL D'ISERE
Arrived at the Fort to return to Italy, you can continue towards Modane and make the Frejus Tunnel, or
repeat the route to Lanslebourg to continue towards Mont Cenis
and then Susa. This route can be done in one day and is also suitable for cars.
Taking more time from Lanslebourg you can get to Val d 'Isere, a well-known station
winter skiing, you have to go down towards Modane from here, Saint Jean de Maurienne
take the motorway to Albertville, from here it is 90 km to arrive, then towards Bourg saint Maurice
and Val d'isere, rely on a map or navigator for the route but, it's worth it.
If you leave early in the morning it is possible to do it within the day but without too many breaks and, to shorten it
the route from Bardonecchia you enter the Frejus Tunnel. This will make a lot of highway.
I wanted to include this itinerary in French territory because I think it is very beautiful and varied.
Val-d'Isère
in France, is a commune belonging to the Rhône-Alpes region and the Savoie department, a well-known destination for passionate skiers and home to ski competitions. It has over one thousand and six hundred inhabitants and covers an area of about ninety-four square kilometers.
The ski slopes of Val-d'Isère are exhilarating and the charm of the country is so strong that it cannot fail to arouse wonder. The area arouses interest for its elegance, for its richness, for the guarantee of tranquility and well-being; in the morning you reach the ski lifts to ski and in the evening you return to the warmth of your home or accommodation, delighting the palate with local flavors.
The center is visited especially in winter but in summer there is no shortage of opportunities for skiing reaching the Grand Pissaillas at almost three thousand meters high. Val-d'Isère is therefore full of life throughout the year and guarantees unforgettable holidays not only for those who practice winter sports but also for those who want to spend relaxing moments breathing mountain air.
The history of Val-d'Isère is linked to the events that marked the Savoy, living with it sometimes complex and singular events; the origins of the territory are however to be found in a remote past, the one in which the territory hosted a small Celtic people.
Val-d'Isère owes much of its success to the skiing competitions that take place annually on its peaks. The presence of modern and efficient systems increases its fame making this area one of the most popular places in the French Alps.
NOVALESA
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Susa - Moncenisio Lake -
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Lanslebourg - Val d'Isere.
_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb589094-136bad5cde-3194-bb589094-136bad5ccc3 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_Starting from Susa go up towards the Mont Cenis, whose summit houses the famous lake
Vecchio tunnel ferroviario del Frejus
Tra l'alta Valle di Susa e la Moriana, tra Italia e Francia, corrono le Alpi Cozie che hanno i loro più famosi picchi nell'inconfondibile Monviso, con i suoi 3.841 metri, e nell'Aiguille de Chambeyron, a 3.409 metri. Ma non tutti i massicci delle Alpi Cozie sono così conosciuti e battuti, anzi, alcuni attirano un numero decisamente minore di alpinisti e di escursionisti.
Tra questi c'è per esempio il Frejus, 2.936 metri d'altezza, la cui cima è raggiungibile dal versante italiano percorrendo dapprima una mulattiera e poi un versante detritico. All'inizio di questa mulattiera, a circa 1.750 metri, sorgono delle particolari costruzioni grigie, in cemento armato riportanti la scritta: sono i “Camini del Frejus”, ossia gli sfiati del tratto italiano del traforo stradale del Frejus che attraversa il massiccio da parte a parte, collegando la città di Modane, in Francia, con Bardonecchia, in Italia. Come è noto, però, la lunga galleria stradale non è l'unica opera di ingegneria costruita al di sotto di questo massiccio: più di un secolo prima, infatti, era stato scavato il traforo ferroviario del Frejus, all'epoca il più lungo tunnel del mondo.
Il traforo ferroviario del Frejus: la storia
Il primo traforo del Frejus, quello ferroviario, fu ideato da un imprenditore di Bardonecchia, Giuseppe Francesco Medail che presentò un progetto al re Carlo Alberto già nel 1840. Quel suo disegno venne trascurato, essendo forse fin troppo ambizioso per i tempi. L'idea venne però passata all'ingegnere belga Henri Maus. Anche lui, come del resto Medai, morì prima di vedere realizzato il progetto che passò nelle mani dell'ingegnere, nonché Ministro delle Finanze, Quintino Sella il quale dovette trovare una soluzione per l'areazione del tunnel. La lunghezza del Traforo del Frejus è pari a 13,636 chilometri e mai nessuno prima di allora aveva pensato di costruire una galleria talmente estesa. Il progetto definitivo fu quindi rifinito da Geramain Sommeiler, da Sebastiano Grandis e da Severino Grattoni. La prima pietra fu posata nel 1857 da re Vittorio Emanuele II, dopo che lo stesso Cavour perorò la causa del traforo del Frejus. Il finanziamento iniziale concesso dalla casa regnante fu di 42 milioni.
A mettere a rischio l'opera fu, però, il corso della storia: nel 1860 il Regno di Sardegna, per compensare la Francia dell'aiuto dato durante la riunificazione, decise di concedere la Savoia agli alleati. Il tunnel, dunque, non era più da ambo le parti su territorio italiano, e fu necessario definire un accordo nuovo con i francesi. Questi misero sul piatto 19 milioni che sarebbero stati corrisposti solo ad opera completata entro un arco temporale di 25 anni.
I francesi promisero anche un premio che sarebbe aumentato di pari passo al diminuire dei tempi di costruzione del tunnel.Motivati dalla prospettiva del premio, gli italiani decisero di fare del loro meglio per accelerare i tempi, tanto che, quando il tunnel venne inaugurato nel 1871, i francesi dovettero pagare 26 milioni, coprendo il definitivo costo del traforo del Frejus che fu pari a 70 milioni.
La costruzione del tunnel non procedette senza problemi: i lavori furono accelerati senza ombra di dubbio dalla perforatrice automatica pneumatica messa a punto dai tre ingegneri che firmarono il progetto finale, ma non mancarono i contrattempi e, ovviamente, gli incidenti. Dei 4.000 operai impiegati 48 morirono durante i lavori (anche se va detto che 18 caduti sono da ricollegare all’epidemia di colera del 1964). Lo scavo del traforo fu seguito passo dopo passo e con vivo interesse dalla stampa mondiale. Con quel tunnel ferroviario si sanciva un nuovo passaggio per il treno Londra-Brindisi che in quegli stessi anni transitava faticosamente sulla Ferrovia del Moncenisio, realizzata poco prima proprio dagli inglesi e caduta poco dopo in disuso. Il tunnel del Frejus restò il più lungo al mondo fino al 1882, anno in cui venne sorpassato dalla Galleria ferroviaria del San Gottardo (15 chilometri) la cui costruzione partì nel 1972.
Quello ferroviario fu però solo il primo dei tunnel del Frejus: qualche decennio fa questa opera è stata affiancata da una seconda galleria.
Il traforo stradale del Frejus
Dal 1980, a fianco del Traforo ferroviario del Frejus, scorre anche un traforo stradale. Anch'esso collega Bardonecchia a Modane: a partire dalla sua inaugurazione, ha portato alla chiusura del servizio di trasporto automobili nella galleria ferroviaria ottocentesca. I lavori per la sua costruzione sono iniziati nel 1974, e quindi poco più di un secolo dopo rispetto all'apertura del parallelo tunnel ferroviario. La lunghezza del traforo stradale del Frejus è 12,895 chilometri. Il traforo stradale è gestito da due società distinte: da parte francese la gestione è in mano alla SFTRF, mentre in Italia il traforo del Frejus è di competenza della SITAF. Tra i principali collegamenti tra Italia e Francia, durante i suoi primi vent'anni di vita il tunnel del Frejus ha visto il passaggio di oltre 20 milioni di veicoli.
TUNNEL AUTOSTRADALE FREJUS
Il traforo stradale del Frejus è una galleria a pedaggio che collega la Francia con l'Italia. Posto sotto il monte Fréjus fra le località di Modane in Francia e Bardonecchia in Italia, corre parallelo al traforo ferroviario del Frejus e costituisce uno dei principali collegamenti transalpini fra Francia e Italia con la parte italiana, nella rete autostradale italiana, classificata come "traforo T4".
L' alternativa al colle del Moncenisio che ricordo sale da Susa per raggiungere Modane e da qui
proseguire o verso la val d'Isere oppure continuare sull' autostrada che porta a Chambery etc.
