THE ALPINE WALL
PART OF THE FAMOUS «ALPINE WALL», THE MILITARY ROADS OF THE VALLEYS MAIRA, GRANA, AND STURA, WERE LARGELY BUILT IN THE 1930S.
Often integrating or repairing traces of dirt roads and mule tracks already existing in Piedmont and having been destroyed by the French in the 19th century. After the cession of Nice and Savoy to France, an entire defensive system called «belt of forts» was built in about ten years to strengthen the new frontier, constructing emplacements and dozens of kilometres of roads and trails.
With the peace treaty of 1947, the military structures on the Italian border – forts, bunkers, barracks, and cableways – were destroyed or abandoned, while the access roads, often paved, were further used for civil purposes. Their conditions declined, though, which was inevitable for such a vast territory that was no longer under a single administration, but divided between the military, the municipalities, and the provincial administration.
IN MAIRA VALLEY
THE MILITARY ROAD 194-195-201
In Maira Valley, road construction works started in 1937: For its position, Acceglio was a strategic hub of the defensive system and in three years a 60 kilometres road network was built around the Municipality. The military road 201 (Saretto – Maira source – Baciasse source) was meant to connect Saretto with the defensive line Sautron – Colle delle Munie. It was perfectly built up to Grange Pausa, but in 1943, the work was interrupted and the last 1,500 of the planned 6,500 metres remained incomplete. Today, the road is paved in the first part; then an unpaved road continues and becomes a trail in the end.
IN GRANA VALLEY
THE MILITARY ROADS 208-209
In Grana Valley, which never had any permanent barriers, Colle del Mulo was seen as trouble spot. The military road 209 (Campomolino – pilgrimage church San Magno) was in reality built by the Royal Corps of the building control authority of Cuneo and came under military administration only successively. It is about 6 kilometres long, now paved, and was built between 1929 and 1936 to improve the connection between the hamlets of Castelmagno. In 1954, the road came under the municipality of Castelmagno that had it paved in the 1960s.
IN STURA VALLEY
THE MILITARY ROAD 324
The Stura di Demonte Valley is an important connection between the Cuneo plain and the Dauphiné across Colle della Maddalena. It already had the important fortifications of Vinadio, built from 1830 on, and the military road called “Strada Destra Stura”, built between 1935 and 1938 to connect Bedoira with Pietraporzio. In Vallone di Sant’Anna a road network was planned from Pratolungo to Colle della Lombarda. In 1920, the road was built that connected Pratolungo with Colle della Lombarda and Isola, following in part the ancient mule track of Vallone di Sant’Anna.