A day at Antrona Valley

Antrona Valleyis perhaps the least known of the Ossola places, but undoubtedly the pristinest and with less human activity, where nature and the mountain in particular, reign over all.

It 's sunday, February 15th and the destination for our reportage to discover our ski resorts is Cheggio, a small village, 7 km from Antronapiana, "capital" of Antrona Valley, where the ski facilities are located. This is very suitable for children and beginners, and today I go with Alessia, 6 years and four ski lessons behind.
The day promises to be full of commitments, because the Antrona Valley is not only downhill skiing, but offers many other opportunities for winter sports. Appointment to Antronapiana with Massimo, registered to our community and responsable of the site www.valleantrona.com, who arranged for us and our photographer Giancarlo, a day full immersion.
Leave the highway (SS33 Sempione) to Villadossola and we travel along the road of Antrona Valley. Left Viganella, the country known around the world for the mirror that lights up the winter sun, reflecting solar rays, and in less than 40 minutes we reach Antronapiana.

Valley Antrona, plenty of nature and tranquility

We meet the mayor of the town, Franco Borsotti, how summarizes us the details of the Valley. A pristine environment, nature, tranquility, many lakes, some natural and other artificial, and many opportunities to practice many different sports. From cross-country skiing to skating, from snowshoeing to downhill skiing, all in an unspoiled natural environment, particularly suggestive. Antronapiana sports facilities are managed directly by the City, with the help of a group of volunteers, mostly young people, covering both the skating rink than of cross-country skiing, and related services, such as rental equipment.
And in fact we are even with Flavio Caffoni, nature guide, and Gianmarco Farioli, head of the ski cross country facilities, and they're guiding us in our visit to the facilities and equipment in the country. But not before having finished the conversation with the mayor, who announced that within a short time in Antronapiana will rise a new hotel, which will improve the range of accommodation in the area.
Do not miss the cultural offerings and events. The best known is the one that takes place every December 30th in the square, that combines fire, snow and ice (fireworks, bonfire, mulled wine and chocolate). And then you can visit the interesting museum of the water.

The "Ossola ice crushers" stars of ice hockey

We welcome the mayor and we go to the outdoor ice rink, unfortunately unusable for the abundant snowfall in recent days. This is a track of good size, 30 x 60 meters, the only approved for official games of hockey. Indeed Antronapiana has a hockey club and a team of ice hockey, the "Ossola ice crushers". They organize tournaments with other ossola and Swiss teams, and organize courses of hockey for children. The track, in fact, is also equipped with dressing room for the local team and the guests, and can also be rented for private parties by calling 348/3071819.
The skating rink opened in 2001 and named after Pierangelo Balzardi, is open on Fridays from 20.30 to 18, and Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 2 to 6 p.m. During the holiday season is open daily, afternoon and evening. You can of course hire ice skates, and equipment to play hockey and the city administration is intended to equip the track for inline skating.
Flavio and Gianmarco, owners of the team "Ossola ice crushers”, decide to elect Alessia as their mascot and fully dress her by the hockey player for a picture.

Cross country ski: three km of ring immersed in the silence of a forest of larches

If this year you can not skate, at Antronapiana you can continue practicing cross country ski. The ring, three km, surrounds the sports center of Antrona and winds in a beautiful grove of larch trees. The trail is fairly easy, with not much height difference: a first ring of a km, and a second slightly more demanding than two kilometers. The track is almost entirely sunny, immersed in silence and away from the noise of cars and the country. Often it is crossed by wild animals who dare to the edge of the village.
Also for cross-country skiing is active a rental service: 8 € uro for adults and 5 € uro for children at any time. The entrance to the track is rather free.
We walk along the trail of cross-country skiing near of the snowmobile, accompanied by Gianmarco, which illustrates the beauty of this place.
We also see the ice sculptures, strong tradition of Antrona, scattered along the runway.
We decide to try for the first time, cross-country skiing and Gianmarco accompanies us to the rental shop.
In addition to cross country skiing, at the bar La Posa and at the newsstand of Antrona you can also rent snowshoes and snowshoeing. We wear the tight ski and try to take our first steps. ... How much effort!

Snowshoes & Co.

In the mountains of Antrona Valley you can hikes with snowshoes.
The route starts from Cheggio, 7 km from Antronapiana, near the lake Alpe Cavalli. Among the most attractive routes that passing through the valley of the Fornalino, with deviation to the right at the pasturing of Alpe Meri, and arrival of the saddle of Cavallo di Ro, at an altitude of 1895 meters. This is a route particularly impressive, allowing you to admire some of the most beautiful mountains in Ossola: the Andolla the Weissmies and Monte Rosa.
There are many other paths that can be done, such as that through the old road Antronesca (the old Salt Road) leading to the lake of Antrona, from which you can reach the mountain pasture Ronco, completely isolated, or reversed. For those who want more information, in Antrona there are two nature guides on duty (or www.accompagnatura.net Flavio 328/0531725), who also organize trips at night.

The wine and food of Antrona

It’s lunchtime and before boarding Cheggio to discover the slopes, we stop at one of the restaurants of Antrona to sample the local delicacies. The gastronomy of Antrona proposes, in addition to polenta unfailing characteristic of all the Ossola mountains, two traditional dishes: the "snake", a roll of dough filled with vegetables and served with meat sauce, and "rice and bruchei, a risotto with wild spinach cooked in broth sausages.
In Antrona there are two hotels, a refuge and a bed & breakfast, and five restaurants, and of course a number of bars. It’s possible to plan a short stay or a vacation, choosing to stay away from the chaos of the most visited places, but pampered by a friendly and unusual welcome.

Let’s go to Cheggio

The slopes, managed by the cooperative Il Sogno, are located in Cheggio, seven kilometers away from Antrona. As you follow the road and climb to 1,500 meters of altitude of the locality, one is ecstatic in front of the surrounding landscape.
Snowy mountains in bright sunshine, a few huts almost submerged by snow, a feeling of incredible peace. Within few minutes we are at Cheggio and from the parking lot, located a few meters from the plant, we can already hear the merry voices of children.
It is a small parking lot served by a ski lift station and a treadmill with two kilometers of trails are very easy, a track for bobsled and toboggan, and a balcony solarium.
We reach the ticket office, where we meet Lorenzo Rolando, assessor of the environment and facility operators, and Farioli Franco, head of the facilities.

A ski station also for families

Put on skis and boots, who have been kindly secured (thanks to Sara Farioli, daughter of Franco, who has made available the equipment), also Flavio Caffoni reaches us, take the ski lift and try always the tracks.
The sensation is that of a beautiful park for families: there are dozens of children of all ages, families, father with skis with children in the backpack, moms who are taking the sun. It seems that everyone knows each other, everybody wants to exchange a few words, smiles everywhere.
One feels, in short, in family and also by the employees perceive a truly special kindness and attention. The same lift is stopped all the time, to help children inexperienced.
The younger skiers are the real protagonists of Cheggio.
The slopes are very wide, gentle and free of hazards, but the real peculiarity is that parents can sit on a deck chair on the sun terrace, and from that position, have a complete departure of the ski lift, the location of the slope and then the slopes.
Virtually parents who do not ski can leave entertain young children independently and still cared for by the staff of the facility, while not losing sight for one moment.

Prices for ski passes at Cheggio are particularly "family" means an adult day costs 10 € uro, a reduced 8 € uro, while the afternoon only 6 € uro. The only service not active is the ski rental. A pity then that the station is open only Saturday and Sunday, even though this is more than understandable: the turnout is not large numbers, and the management is entrusted to a group of volunteers who, of course, during the week are engaged in their professional activities.

We would not go away, but begins to be late and it is time to return. Antrona Valley was really a pleasant surprise, a small wedding favor which is worth visiting.

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