Path R42

Trail R42 begins in Bernezzo, a municipality at an altitude of 575 meters at the mouth of the Grana Valley, and ascends the left orographic slope toward the ridges that divide the Grana Valley from the Stura Valley. The route passes through a dense chestnut forest for the first few kilometers, with fruit trees still cultivated for the production of the Cuneo chestnut. Above 1,000 meters, the chestnut trees give way to beech trees and mountain meadows where daffodils and wild orchids bloom in spring. Bernezzo has a long tradition of growing hemp, which until the 19th century was the main economic activity in the lower valley. From the highest points of the route, the peaks of the Grana Valley, including Pizzo d'Ormea, can be seen, and on the opposite side, Bisalta (2,404 m), which dominates Cuneo. From April to November; start early on summer days to avoid the heat of the initial stretch.