Hiking – Via Francisca: from Pieve Vergonte to Gravellona Toce

The Lower Ossola was also a fertile land of commerce among villages on both banks of the river Toce: the villages facing onto the river, each with its own port, traded basic goods on boats and rafts up and down the waterway. Megolo is noted for the tragic events linked to the battle of Megolo. Anzola is a small village with very ancient roots (the first settlement is dated around 1000 AD). The Via Francisca route proceeds towards Migiandone, with its Sanctuary dedicated to the Black Madonna of Loreto. A richly fascinating historical route commences from Migiandone: this is the Cadorna Line, with its military roads, trenches, old cannons. The Cadorna Line is an itinerary that has been sensitively restored thanks to the work of the local Alpini regiment groups; it has been transformed from a road of war into a road of peace. Migiandone and Ornavasso, together with Mergozzo, are one of the access points to the Ossola Valley: here numerous archaeological sites were discovered at the end of the 19th Century (fundamental in the historical reconstruction of necropolises from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD). At this point the Via Francisca is nearly at an end: the route affords a visit to Ornavasso, the lowest-lying Walser colony in the Ossola Valley. Gravellona Toce itself, today a modern commercial centre and the final stop-off on this ancient route, was a nucleus of significant archaeological findings, amongst which the Pedemonte necropolises.

DISCOVER THE OTHER STAGE OF THE VIA FRANCISCA:
Stage 1 – From Crevoladossola to Pieve Vergonte

Sector A “Historic Routes” A00a

Pieve Vergonte, Loro, Rumianca, Megolo, Anzola, Migiandone, Ornavasso, Gravellona Toce

• The mines of the Val Toppa in Pieve Vergonte
• The Oratory in Rumianca
• Megolo di Mezzo Church and Megolo Tower
• Cortavolo a Megolo, site of a famous Partisan battle
• Anzola village
• Migiandone
• The Via Crucis and the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Loreto
• The little Toro Church, part of the first line of defence of the Cadorna line
• From the Punta di Migiandone, the beginning of the Cadorna Line with trenches and line stations
• The quaint Lago delle Rose (lake)
• The district of Ornavasso with its courtyards, oratories, chapels, the Parish Church, the tower, the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Boden and the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Gurva
• The Via Pedemonte route
• The higher part of Gravellona, the historical district

Stop-off point at Gravellona Toce: refreshment facilities. A bus will take you from Gravellona Toce back to Domodossola, or you can catch the train on the Novara-Domodossola.

Domodossola FFSS International Railway Station (from Bern and Milan). From the Bus Terminal take the bus for Pieve Vergonte.
Contact references: Council Authority districts of Pieve Vergonte, Anzola, Ornavasso, Gravellona Toce
CAI contact reference: Piedimulera and Gravellona Toce sections

Easy.

24 km

Ascent 323 m / Descent 334 m

6 hrs 05 min

Walking boots

A00a

Map n° 16 scale 1:25,000 of Geo4Map/CAI
Digital maps on App: ViewRanger – Avenza Maps