PIEMONTE GRAVEL ROYALE

PO RIVER SHORES | GRAVEL IN THE ROYAL HUNTING PARK | STUPINIGI CASTLE | THE CORN FIELD TRACKS | AT THE FEET OF THE ALPS | RISORGIVE BIKE PATH | THE SANGONE RIVER TRAILS | VALLERE PARK | THE CANAL PATH | VALENTINO PARK | THE COUNTRY TRACKS

We meet in Torino for the tour breafing and the bicycle set-up, then start riding the Po river shores until we reach the south border of the city and the Vallere park. Here it starts the river Sangone path which leads to the spectacular Royal Castle of Stupinigi, built in the XVII Century as a hunting lodge for the Savoy family. We enter the Supinigi reserve: this former hunting ground of the nobility and aristocrats, now public park, features a network of offroad trails and dirt roads which are ideal for a fun gravel ride.
Out of the reserve is the open countryside: we push on the pedals and hit the winding gravel road which runs through the fields. Right in front of of us the Alpine peaks dominate the horizon. We approach the town of Airasca, we’re just halfway through the trip and it’s time for a tasty energetic lunch! We can choose between a friendly trattoria owned by a fellow cyclist or decide to buy some food at the market and make a picnic in the surrounding countryside.
After lunch we head back to Torino following the Royal barn way. The first segment follows a paved bike path built on the old railway line, the original train stations are still visible along the route. Some kilometres on asphalt and it’s time to hit the dirt road again! We bike through the corn fields, on offroad country trails, a long serpentine-shaped track which gives us the chance to speed up and put our riding ability to test. We now cross a few country towns to reach the Derivatore canal path which takes to the outskirts of Turin. A fast rolling ride in the Vallere park on the river Po shores, and we finally get to to Torino.
DISTANCE: 75 km
ELEVATION: flat (240 metres)