The best running trails around Ostana

Beautiful and famous lake easily reachable from Pian del Re and Regina.

Delicious lunch: Polenta with spezzatino and penne all'amatriciana Lounge chairs for a digestive nap Comfortable toilet seat

This refuge, dedicated to Vitale Giacoletti, is strategically located for ascents of the adjacent peaks and is one of several so-called Viso refuges, located along the various routes of the Viso. While Punta Losas, east of Giacoletti, offers no technical difficulty, those to the west—Monviso, Pointe de Rome, Pointe d'Udine, and Pointe de Venise—require excellent technical ability. Another beautiful via ferrata is the Col du Coloir du Porc, a pass that separates Pointe d'Udine from Pointe de Venise. From here, you can descend into France to the Viso refuge, then climb back up to Punta delle Traversette and, thanks to the short Buco del Viso tunnel (about 80 meters), return to Pian del Re.

Alpine church, built and inaugurated in 1899, designed by Giuseppe Gastaldi and frescoed by Giuseppe Catei, commissioned by the parish priest of Crissolo, Don Giacomo Lantermino. On July 28, 1892, Lantermino celebrated a mass at the summit of Monviso in the presence of about forty mountaineers. They urged the parish priest to build a votive chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows at this altitude, where a mass could be celebrated every year. The rocky spur at the base of the Pian del Re plateau, clearly visible from the small village of Pian della Regina, was ultimately chosen as the location. Although the initial plan was to build it at the summit of Mount Re di Pietra, it was later abandoned due to the logistical difficulties of building it up there. The church has a characteristic layout that contrasts with those of most other churches: a façade with an entrance to the east and an apse to the west. This choice was undoubtedly made to make it highly visible from the inhabitants of the village of Crissolo below. It has a rectangular body and a bell gable. The church endured a troubled life in the following decades. In fact, only the following year (1900) the chapel's roof collapsed due to heavy snowfall. It was promptly rebuilt; but in the following decades it underwent various renovations and maintenance, until it was no longer used and fell into abandonment and decay in the 1970s, as well as being the target of vandals on several occasions. Between 2005 and 2007, restoration and repair work was carried out, both inside and out, bringing the church back to its current splendor. The façade and interior are decorated in neo-Gothic style and the roof is made of slate.

Mountain hut to replenish provisions.

Situated at 2,741 metres above sea level, the Giacoletti refuge overlooks the imposing north face of Monviso. It is located on the Colle del Losas, at the foot of Punta Udine. The original structure was built on the ruins of a military barracks and inaugurated in 1961. Over the years it underwent several expansions until reaching its current form. The Giacoletti refuge is open every day from mid-June to mid-September and has 56 beds. Various mountaineering itineraries start from here. It is also the ideal destination for a day trip, as well as an excellent base for the Giro del Monviso. For more information, visit the website: https://www.giacoletti.it.

The first structure of the Pian del Re refuge hotel was built by the Municipality of Crissolo in 1874 to accommodate mountaineers intent on climbing the Normal route of Monviso. In 1909 it became privately owned and management passed to the Perotti family, a historic dynasty of mountain guides of Monviso. Numerous paths start from here, both for day trips and for multi-day treks, such as the Giro del Monviso, or mountaineering itineraries, including the Normal route of Monviso. The refuge is open every day from the beginning of June to the end of September and offers 30 beds, in addition to a bar and restaurant service. For more information, visit the website: https://www.rifugiopiandelre.it.

Spectacular and relaxing waterfalls of Pian del Re.