Holiday apartment in Cesana Torinese – between local history and mountain adventures

Historic centre and visible history

The historic centre of Cesana Torinese consists of an older area around the parish church and a second area along a pedestrian street. Buildings from the 19th century and shops shape the streetscape there. The origins of Cesana Torinese date back to the Early Middle Ages.

The parish church of San Giovanni Battista still preserves visible features of the original 11th-century church in its three apses, façade and bell tower. There is also a 16th-century portal bearing the coats of arms of the Delfini family. The Museo Casa delle Lapidi displays the tomb slabs in a permanent exhibition and regularly hosts changing exhibitions on folk culture. Ten tomb slabs decorated with geometric, religious and plant symbols are set into a wall there.

Rock and mountain history

In the area of Monte Crouzeau, Bousson, Roche Noire and Punta Rascià, dark green serpentinite rock with a dense network of white veins occurs, giving it a marble-like appearance. Serpentinite was intensively mined in the Bousson and Cesana area between 1924/25 and the beginning of the 1970s. The Cava di Marmo Verde area can only be reached on foot via a mostly unpaved road.

At an altitude of 3,130 metres on the summit of Monte Chaberton are the remains of the Batteria dello Chaberton, considered the highest fortification in Europe. Eight towers on which rotating cannons once stood are still visible at the Batteria. The Batteria dello Chaberton can only be reached on foot via an uneven mountain trail – a specific consideration for anyone wishing to include this mountain day in their plans.

Active excursions through forest, gorge and stream

The Parco Avventura Chaberton is located in the pine forest of Mollieres on the right bank of the Dora Riparia. It comprises 61 tree and high-rope elements distributed across four courses of varying difficulty. Tree climbing and archery are also offered there. This makes it possible to choose an excursion according to the desired level of activity, without every activity having the same character.

The Ponte Tibetano Cesana Claviere suspension bridge is located between Cesana Torinese and Claviere in the gorges of San Gervasio. The route is 544 metres long and consists of three consecutive bridges over the Piccola Dora. The access chalet is at the first roundabout exit at the entrance to Claviere when coming from Cesana Torinese. From there, a descending path leads to the start of the bridge in 15 minutes.

The Riserva di Pesca Cesana fishing reserve allows fishing along a 4.5-kilometre stretch of the Ripa stream. Between the bridge at Rollieres and the bridge at Bousson, the reserve includes a catch-and-release section. Another recurring event is the Cesana-Sestriere: it takes place every year and is part of the European Championship for historic automobiles.

Choose a holiday apartment according to your own holiday ideas

When looking for a holiday apartment in Cesana Torinese, you can decide on your preferred focus at an early stage: the historic centre and museum represent history and folk culture, while Monte Chaberton, the Ponte Tibetano, the adventure park and the fishing reserve offer different active themes. The special access information for the mountain destinations should therefore be part of your personal planning, along with the question of how much space should be given to culture, nature or shared activities.

Other place names for your travel planning

Rivoli, Rosta, San Francesco Al Campo, Sant'antonino Di Susa, Alice Superiore, Chiomonte, Piossasco, Ala Di Stura

For the higher-level travel overview: Turin.