Tour of villages

The Tour des Villages (tour of villages) is a route that allows you to visit some of the most beautiful villages of Fontainemore.
The mule tracks followed along the route were built on particularly steep slopes, where it was important to have paths that were easy to climb.
The village of Farettaz is especially striking for the quality of many of its buildings, showcasing the remarkable skills of the bricklayers of Fontainemore.

From the Pont-Saint-Martin motorway exit, turn right towards Turin. At the second roundabout, turn left in the direction of Gressoney. The road climbs for a few hundred metres, then take the Lys Valley road on the right, following it all the way to Fontainemore.
At the beginning of the village, ascend a small road on the right to reach the car park of the the visitors centre of the Mont Mars Nature Reserve

From the car park, pass by the small chapel, cross the road, and enter the village. After a few dozen metres, turn left to cross the bridge leading to the church. Continue to the right and take the steep but beautiful mule track on the left that leads to the village of Borney.
From Borney, follow the road gently downhill for a few kilometres until you reach the regional road, then turn left for a few dozen metres to descend and cross the small bridge over the Guillemore Gorge. Looking down, you can see the dramatic erosion caused by the Lys stream.
Now ascend along a scenic mule track to reach the Cammino Balteo trail, which you follow to the La Planaz houses. Enter the village (just before, notice the characteristic washhouse under a rock) and reach the Wisteria House. In the small square, continue to the right, passing near the chapel. The trail then descends slightly before climbing the steep mountainside to reach the village of Farettaz.
Farettaz is worth a detailed visit, with many small architectural details to discover. After the first village, continue on level ground to the second village, Molinat, where you can admire the restored oven.
Now ascend along the asphalt road, turning right. Cross the bridge over the stream and take the trail on the left, which climbs briefly before descending along a rural road, following the Cammino Balteo route to the mule track leading to Pillaz.
Pass by the chapel to reach the village. Cross the road and continue uphill among the houses (a less visible section), then cross to the right to reach the asphalt road at a hairpin bend. Follow the road almost to the next hairpin, where, about ten metres before, a trail descends slightly, crosses a small bridge, and continues through a beautiful beech forest to the Verghedo houses.
Continue on level ground for about a hundred metres, then take the mule track on the right descending to Thea. Pass Upper Thea and Lower Thea, then arrive at Chuchal, where the charming chapel is worth a visit. Cross the main road and descend along a scenic mule track to the Bercé houses. Upon reaching the building, descend to the right along the lane to the junction, follow it for a short distance, then turn left to cross the stone bridge of Bercé.
Finally, reach a votive shrine and continue to the cemetery square and the car park from where you started.