Hiking - The Viol di Tàit

A short circular excursion that illustrates the history of the inhabitants of these parts. The route passes through two hamlets outside Sant'Anna, both inhabited until midway through the last century, in which the Parks Service has reconstructed two buildings.

Old terraced fields reclaimed by the woods, a stunning lookout point directly above Sant'Anna and the typical architecture of the outlying settlements on display at Tetti Bartola and Tetti Bariau, with roofs in rye straw, are the high points of this itinerary.

From the Rye Museum in Sant'Anna di Valdieri (969 m), a road descends to meet, on the left, an uphill stretch that leads to the cemetery (the sign for the Viol is only visible to those coming from downvalley). Near the cemetery, on the left, there is a signpost indicating the start of the route. After a few meters there is a fork: follow the trail on the right. The path leads along a mule track in dense deciduous woods and a wooden footbridge spans a brook before continuing the climb into the Vallone della Sauma, flanked by the ruins of the old terraced fields.
A midslope tract and a short, steep climb lead to Tetti Bartòla (Tàit Bartòla, 1103 m, 25 minutes from Sant'Anna), where there is a reconstructed house with a characteristic rye straw roof.
The trail leads above the hamlet, as far as the community oven, where it turns left. After passing a house there is a slight descent and then a wooden bridge over the torrent of the Vallone della Sauma.
There follows a midslope tract and several tight switchbacks leading up to a rocky outcropping known as "lo Gorgàs" (with a stunning view of Sant'Anna).
Another short uphill tract precedes a descent with some steep hairpin turns, down to Tetti Bariau (Tàit Bariau, 1160 m, 35 minutes from Tetti Bartòla), where there is another house reconstructed by the Parks Service. The path continues downward beyond the cluster of houses until it crosses the muleteeers' track that winds up the Vallone della Meris. The route follows the track to the left, descending with a fairly steep slope on a stony path until it reaches Sant'Anna. When the paved road forks among the houses, take the left branch, which leads to the old Post Office, just above the Museum(969 m, 25 minutes from Tetti Bariau).