Bocchetta e Castagnola

A virtual journey from the Bocchetta pass along the River Lemme , from where does it originates, down the road that skirts it to cross the Vallemme which takes its name.

The Bocchetta's road that follows the course of the Lemme river, parallel to the road of the Pass of Castagnola, both have an ancient and noble history. It starts around the twelfth century, when the Genoese defeated the Saracens and consolidated their dominance on the sea turned their attention to the markets of the Lombard Plain and joined them, opening the crossings between the ridges of the Apennines.

Truly, the Bocchetta Pass on the site of the ancient "Castelus Allanus" rose up from Pontedecimo, already from 148 a. C., a Roman road, open from Aulus Postumius Consul and from his name called Postumia, it climbed to coast to Fiaccone, reached the Porale and down to Libarna by Rigoroso.

Alla Memoria: Coppi e Ghiglione

The Genoese made use of Postojna perhaps at first, then, or to avoid the arbitrariness of feudal lords, who in the meantime had established their domains along the route of this road, or because they found  more spontaneous and natural to follow the course of Lemme, they abandoned and made run their traffics along the valley, covering it first with a simple track, along a path which locally is still called the "Veéa». This name, as pronounced by the ppeople of Bocchetta, with a accent, clearly suggests that stood along that track, perhaps before 1000, a glassworks ("veirere" of Olba and Stura) . And in fact, the hollow for the supply of material to be melted, and the furnace have been recently localized from a group of archaeologists led by Mannoni.
 

Then the road, without a particular track or supporting structures, followed the river and it is significant, in this regard, the purchase of Voltaggio in 1121 by the Republic of Genoa for 400 lire: its location was used to secure the road, to ensure to Genoa tolls and privileges.

But back now to the Bocchetta and, walking up the path of Mount Leco, let's take a first look of the valley together. It lies to our feet very green and quiet, rich in water and forests, in which dominate the chestnut trees, and the fir trees lining the state forest on the slopes of Leco and a thick clump of tall ferns, brambles, bushes sparse, covering all along the right side. Today's route follows the ancient route, made carriageable and consolidated around 1580 , with bridges and retaining walls that still are to admire, in the eighteenth century by the Doge Michelangelo Cambiaso, from which the street was named Cambiaggia. And certainly the weight and the presence of Genoa, sometimes even a bit 'bulky, along this road are felt everywhere. On the right, at the crossing of the Bocchetta, in the harsher line and savage, there is a place called 'place of the Corsi ", where the Genoese, to protect the caravans, had established a military garrison.
 

The downstream portion where was the mill and the village of Fiaccone, turned into roadhause, comfortable and well-defended by the nature of the place, with houses aligned along the road, for the storage and work stops at inns. So, was born in this way the inhabited area of Molini. At the end of the bridges were placed the same patron saints of the Republic: Our Lady of Mercy (a plaque put travelers warned against the dangers of robbers of long ago ...).