STOCK PHOTOGRAPHS OF BIELLA, ITALY

North of Turin lies a large area of flat agricultural land mainly known for its huge production of rice, especially the arborio grain, essential for risotto, but it does little to enhance the unremarkable landscape. However, after a 45 minute drive from the city you make out the impressive outline of the Alpine peaks that create the vast barrier between this part of Italy and Switzerland -- a sign that you are nearly at Biella. This city has busy, expansive outskirts and a compact attractive centre with a funicular linking it to the beautiful old town of Piazzo just above. The Biellese are hard working people and for centuries the town has been a major centre of cloth production and all the famous names of Italian fashion like Zegna and Cerruti have close links with the place as you will notice from the proliferation of factory outlets that line the approach roads.

Within a very short distance of Biella ... Lago di Viverone ...the Cervo Valley is the other main approach to the mountains from Biella and begins around a large area of mill complexes once powered by the powerful waters of the Cervo River. A few of these mills are still in use, one producing some of the world's finest hats, but a majority of them stand empty and ghostly silent. The road following the river starts to become more scenic around Andorno where deep pools in the river offer tempting places for summer bathing. Once you reach the mountains you arrive at Rosazza a beautiful little town with stunning mountain views and totally altered in appearance by Federico Rosazza Pistolet (1813-99), its most notable citizen. The son of a wealthy family, he established a highly successful construction business and used his fortune to transform the rustic stone buildings of the town into the architectural gem that lies at the foot of the mountains today. The gates he erected at the approaches to the town, the town hall, the cemetery, the castle, the tower and even the tunnel he built to connecting the valley to the Valle d'Oropa all bear Rosazza's stamp. The valley steepens a little as it reaches Piedicavallo, the veritable end of the road and a beautiful quiet mountain village.

A turning off the main road takes you to the star attraction of the area -- the Panoramica Zegna, named after Ermenegildo Zegna, the founder of the huge fashion house who planned and financed this route starting in the 1930's. The result is a well surfaced road with numerous areas to stop and enjoy the glorious views, but more importantly, the planting of thousands of trees and the protection and encouragement of all forms of native wildlife...thanks to Rosazza's tunnel, the two valleys mentioned are actually linked by a narrow mountain road that leads from the Santuario d'Oropa to the smaller Santuario S Giovanni Adorno before climbing down to Rosazza. Experienced (and seriously fit !) hikers might want to walk the Biellese section of the route known as "The Great Crossing of the Alps".

© John Heseltine