- Lenght
- 61.00 km
- Tempo
- 18 hours 20 minutes
- Max altitude
- 2487 m
- Ascent elevation gain
- 2520 m
- Descent elevation loss
- 1499 m
- Difficulty
- Hiking
- Itinerary index
- Yes
Informazioni
Punto di partenza
Crevoladossola
28865 Crevoladossola VB
Italy
Punto di arrivo
Ulrichen (CH)
6076 Obergoms
Switzerland
Come arrivare
A26 motorway to Gravellona Toce, then Supestrada SS33 del Sempione Exit Crevoladossola-Montecrestese.
Railway station: Domodossola. Bus stop: Crevoladossola, line Domodossola - Cascata del Toce or Linea Circolare Nord. Autoservizi Comazzi Tel. 0324 240333 www.comazzibus.com
Descrizione
The Gries Mountain Pass (Passo del Gries), residing at 2,479 meters of altitude between the Formazza Valley (Val Formazza) and the Upper Valais (Alto Vallese) area, has for five centuries comprised the most direct link between Lombardy and central Switzerland. From Milan to Bern, from the Mediterranean to the Central European Plains, the Gries Mountain Pass has seen people, merchandise, and ideas flow through. This road was a commercial one, a caravan road crossed by long lines of mules full of merchandise. From the north, livestock, skins, and cheese (such as the Bern Oberland “sbrinz”), as well as luxury products such as the Engelberg crystals, would come down the mountain pass, whereas from the south, Lombardy fabric and silk and especially the Ossola wine would be exported up through the mountain pass and down to the Court of France.
On the 12th of August of 1397, at Munster, which was the capital of Goms, area of origin of the Walser people, representatives from Ossola and the Formazza Valley would come together with those of the city of Bern, of the Interlaken Abbey, and of the communities of Hasli and Goms, to sign a convention which would guarantee a joint effort towards the opening of a commercial road linking Milan and Bern. This led to the building of a great road in the Heart of Europe 600 years ago. The contract made provisions for the construction and maintenance of a road that from Grimsel, through Gries, would come down to Ossola and in particular so as to favor commercial activities between the north and Lombardy. All parties would make an effort in keeping the part of the road in their area well-kept and viable to those in such area: the people of Bern would do so up to the Grimsel Mountain Pass, where in those very years a hospice was put in place, the people of Munster would take care of the road from Grimsel to Gries, and those of Formazza would look after the road up to the mountain pass. The regulations relative to the excise duties to be collected as well as the safety that each community would have provided were also established.
The process of recovery of the historical memories and collaboration spirit which still strives among mountainous populations on both sides of the boundary have contributed to the recent revaluation of this ancient Historic Way: as to 2002 the Gries Way has entered one of the 12 Cultural Itineraries of national interest in Switzerland. The Itinerary is known as “Via Sbrinz” (or as the “Sbrinz Route”), a seven-stage journey from Lucerna to Domodossola for those wanting to rediscover the emotions experienced when walking along the routes of history at a leisurely pace through the mountains.
Every summer the itinerary’s history is recalled through its being crossed by a long caravan of people, mules, and merchandise www.sbrinz-route.ch
The Gries Way path, except for the tract pertaining to the Gries Mountain Pass, for the greatest part takes place at the bottom of valleys, across inhabited centres and in proximity of the main (SS659) road system. There are numerous possibilities as far as accommodation and food and drink consumption along the valley are concerned allowing us to choose the length of each stage according to our level of preparation. From Crevoladossola to Ulrichen we must however consider breaking up the path into a minimum of 3 stages. Nevertheless, for those wishing to walk slowly, at the discovery of natural, historical, and cultural wonders of the valley, we suggest breaking the path up into 4 stages.
Recommended period
Accessible to people with disabilities
Support points
In the villages of the valley crossed there are many opportunities for refreshment and accommodation. The bus line Domodossola - Cascata del Toce connects all the villages of Valle Antigorio Formazza
Interest points
Crevoladossola parish church, Crevoladossola hydroelectric power station, traditional stone architecture in Canova, Oira mill, Veglia Devero Park Visitor Centre in Crodo, Baceno parish church (national monument), Orridi di Uriezzo, Hospice of San Bernardo, Parish Church of Premia, Mineralogical Museum of Premia, Terme di Premia and Borgo di Cadarese, Walser Culture and Architecture in Formazza, Casa Forte a Ponte, Cascata del Toce, Lago di Morasco, Piana del Bettelmatt, Gries Pass, Walser culture and architecture in Goms Valley
Dettagli
Profilo altimetrico
Dati tecnici
- Code
- VSB
- Classification
- Provincial - Mid and Low Altitude
- Local Tourist Agency (LTA) reference
- ATL Distretto Turistico dei Laghi
- Cell phone coverage
Ok
- Country
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Region
- Piemonte
- Canton du Valais
- Province
- Verbania
- Devotional relevance
- No
- Historical relevance
- Yes
- Ultima data di aggiornamento
- 15/12/2023
Tappe
Tappe attività
-
0Via Sbrinz - Via del GriesLunghezza61.00 kmTempo18 hours 20 minutesDifficoltàHiking
-
1Via Sbrinz - Via del Gries Stage 1: Crevoladossola - BacenoLunghezza15.00 kmTempo4 hours 20 minutesDifficoltàHiking
-
1AVia dello Sbrinz - Via del Gries Variante Tappa 1A: Montecrestese - PontemaglioLunghezza5.00 kmTempo1 hour 30 minutesDifficoltàHiking
-
1BVSB Tappa 1B: Crevoladossola - OiraLunghezza2.80 kmTempo30 minutesDifficoltàEscursionistico
-
1CVSB Tappa 1C: Fraz. Casanova - Bivio tappa 1Lunghezza1.00 kmTempo20 minutesDifficoltàEscursionistico
-
2Via Sbrinz - Via del Gries Stage 2: Baceno - PonteLunghezza20.00 kmTempo5 hours 30 minutesDifficoltàHiking
-
3Via Sbrinz - Via del Gries Stage 3: Ponte - RialeLunghezza6.70 kmTempo2 hours 30 minutesDifficoltàHiking
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3AVSB Tappa 3A: Ponte - Bivio tappa 3 presso FruaLunghezza2.80 kmTempo40 minutesDifficoltàEscursionistico
-
4Via Sbrinz - Via del Gries Stage 4: Riale - Ulrichen (CH)Lunghezza19.30 kmTempo3 hoursDifficoltàHiking