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The
Land
The
land of the province of Cuneo that includes the Cuneo zone of the Po Park
is an area rich in stimulating scenic views. Colors that are always new
and different present a gift to every tourist who visits. In order to give
you an idea of what to expect on your visit. we have organized this
presentation according to “elements”; that is, water, stone, and
the worlds of agriculture, nature and art which are the principal
protagonists of this varied landscape....
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WATER
Water,
which has, with its power, sculpted, engraved and transformed the
land, constitutes one of the most important resources and source of
wealth in the Po Valley. It is a great scenic attraction, a
symbol of purity and of the quality of the environment, but also an
essential element for agriculture.
In
whatever season that one travels through the mountains of the Po
Valley, one discovers surprising scenery : small lakes,
springs, limpid brooks and of course the Po itself. This river
springs up from the slopes of Monviso and runs through the area of
the Natural Park first as an impetuous stream and then as a calm
waterway ready to host the fans of water sports (canoe, kayak, etc.)
as well as amateur fishermen.
The
same water which gushes out fresh and clean from the drinking
fountains found in the hamlets makes the marvelous spring blossoming
possible, and paints the woods and pastures with every shade of
green.
In
winter, when it is transformed into ice and snow, it renders the
mountain landscape new and spectacular, calls out to winter sports
enthusiasts, and creates the resources necessary for the resumption
of the cycle of the seasons.
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STONE
Mountains
of stone, the destination desired by climbers; cliffs and rocks;
stones cracked, sculpted and engraved by the power of water, wind,
ice and man. Stone is a protagonist, along with wood, of the
environment and history of the valleys of Saluzzo.
Fountains,
roads, paved mule-trails, mill grindstones, doorways, windows,
columns and capitals, baptismal fonts, architectural elements, stone
houses with stone roofs : this most abundant and accessible material
is employed in every conceivable way with the wisdom and experience
of those who are familiar with its resistance, toughness, strength,
weight and durability.
Rough,
polished and hand-worked, engraved, or sculpted, it fits in
perfectly and coherently with the landscape.
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AGRICULTURE
The
agricultural landscape of the valley is shaped above all by the
numerous orchards which, in spring, present shining patches of color
that later mature into apples, peaches, apricots, plums….
At
higher elevations, the mountains are covered with woods that contain
precious foods such as chestnuts, wild berries and uncultivated
herbs.
The
mountain pastures, where cows graze on fresh wild herbs found only
at this altitude, form the birthplace of renowned cheeses with their
distinct flavors.
This
area also makes a small contribution to the production of red wines
including “Colline Saluzzesi”
and “Pinerolese”.
Together with the other wines of the province, they form an
oenological heritage which is one of the most enviable in the world.
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NATURE
The
geographical condition and the climate have played an important part
in the development of the characteristics that today make this land
an environment of such variety and interest even from the
naturalistic point of view.
One
of the characteristics peculiar to the Park
of the River Po in Cuneo is precisely the impressive range of
altitude which, from 3841 meters above sea level on the peak of
Monviso, reaches 240 meters in the plains of Casalgrasso on
the border with the province of Turin. This difference in altitude
allows for the presence of all the possible environments found in
Piedmont.
Traveling
through the area, we find pastures above 2000 meters which, in
spring and summer, are populated by hundreds of head of cattle.
Numerous
are the lakes; true jewels at high altitude, or created by the
activity of quarries in the plains. There are luxuriant chestnut
forests where delicious chestnuts are gathered in autumn. And let’s
not forget the intense flowering of the fields and pastures which
begins in June, and until August animates, with the colors of
innumerable species, even the most out-of-the-way places.
The
rich fauna, visible during opportune hours, is characterized by the
presence of chamois, wild goat, Alpine ibex, eagle, partridge, black
grouse, mountain hare, woodchuck, fox…..
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ART
In
this splendid valley dominated by the natural monument par
excellence, Monviso, and furrowed by the Po and by ordinary
agricultural landscapes, there are many fondly tended-to art
masterpieces.
There
is infinite evidence of the past, which even today makes the
territory of Saluzzo so fascinating, with continuous reminders, in
particular, of the rich era of the Marquisate.
Churches
and abbeys, but even small chapels and votive pillars; sumptuous
palaces as well as splendid farmsteads, enrich the landscape
of the valley, creating an ever-changing panorama.
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