"One Day In Bardonecchia" a Bardonecchia Travel Page by AnnS

I was staying in Turin for 4 days and wanted to spend one of them exploring further afield. The choice of where to go had been difficult but I'd done some research beforehand and Bardonnechia seemed the best option. It's a town in the Italian Alps, right on the border with France.

I caught a train from Turin's Porta Nuova Railway Station and the journey to Bardonnechia took 1 hour 50 minutes. After a lot of walking in Turin, it was nice to sit back and look at the scenery on the way.

On arrival at the little station in Bardonnechia, I was greeted with a truly beautiful scene... one that seemed a world away from the hot and humid city I'd just left. Mountains surround the town and there were fantastic floral displays in the streets. The flowers were such vibrant colours and all looked so healthy.

It was quite a short walk, albeit uphill, to the centre of town and a river runs the length of the road. However, in August it had dried to a trickle of chalky water coming down from the mountains.

It was just after lunchtime and the town centre was almost completely deserted. The weather was glorious and I considered myself very lucky to be there on such a day, without the throng of tourists that I know are there for much of the year. I found a little cafe and enjoyed a cappucino in the sun before exploring further.

The shops were all closed as I walked around the main streets and I enjoyed window shopping and soaking up the atmosphere. I came upon a delightful little church with a group of children playing outside. They spoke to me but I don't speak a word of Italian so all I could do was smile and look friendly.

I eventually found the Tourist Information Office but it was closed for refurbishment so I had no choice but to walk around and figure things out for myself. One thing I DID manage to figure out was how to buy a delicious chocolate ice cream and I ate it sitting in the sun and relaxing in the peaceful setting.

It was such a lovely day that I wanted to take a walk in the surrounding countryside and could see cable cars in the distance so I walked in that direction. But after walking for some time, I didn't seem to be any nearer and I eventually ended up back where I'd started, outside the Railway Station. While I was standing there trying to figure out what to do next, I noticed a tiny little shop which turned out to be another Tourist Information Office. I went in to speak to the friendly girl inside but we had a problem... she didn't speak English. But with the help of a large map, and me pointing to my feet to indicate I didn't have a car, she eventually understood that I wanted to go up a mountain and told me to take Bus No.2 from right outside.

When Bus No.2 arrived, it was a surprise because I'd expected it to be a normal public bus. Instead it was a minibus, painted with a colourful scene of hikers and mountains. I had no clue where I was going but paid the driver 1.50 euros and sat down to enjoy my magical mystery tour.

It wasn't a ride for the nervous! We made our way up and up, round hairpin bends and the driver had his hand on the horn for most of the journey. When we encountered vehicles coming the other way, he just drove straight at them, forcing them to reverse and pull over to let us pass.

In a short while, we reached then end of the route... one of the most picturesque hamlets I've ever seen... Rochemolles. (For more details and photos of this beautiful place, see my entry under Bardonecchia - Further Afield.)

I had about 90 minutes before the last bus of the day back down to Bardonecchia so walked a way in two different directions to admire the wondrous views. The air was fresh, the sunshine warm and it was one of the most peaceful places I've ever visited.

Having returned on the bus from Rochemolles, the scene that greeted me was totally unexpected. The silent and deserted town of earlier had sprung to life and it seemed as if the entire population was out walking in the town centre. The shops were open, a small tourist train was operating, food vendors were everywhere and people were having a thoroughly good time.

Mindful of needing to catch my train back to Turin, I didn't really have time to have dinner so I bought a slice of pizza and a Coke and dined in the street, as many others were doing.

Then as dusk fell, everyone quickly disappeared and the streets were once again deserted as I made my way back to the train station for the journey back to Turin. I'd thoroughly enjoyed my day and would recommend Bardonnechia to those looking for a smart mountain town in which to base themselves for outdoor pursuits... or to anyone who just wants a nice day out from Turin.