Bessanese's Tour

The Autaret's lakes (2985 m)

The two tarns can be found along the path that leads to the French border through the “Colle dell'Autaret“ pass. This path was used in Roman age (a secondary road for ancient Gallia passed nearby) and later on for horseback mail deliveries. In Medieval period the path was used by those who wished to avoid the closer and stringently controlled “Colle del Moncenisio“ check-point.
In the VIII century it marked the border of the Turin diocese;  while in the second half of XVI century it was placed under tightened surveillance, in order to prevent plague spreading.
The inhabitans of the little village of Viu' had to work hard in late Middle Ages in order to keep the mule-trail that led to the border pass in good order and conditions. The pass was garrisoned during the second world war and a number of old ammunition sheds, military barracks and barbed wire remainders are still visible. The Italian partisans fell back to France through this pass in the autumn of 1944 nazi-fascist thrust; the pass is notably glaciers less on both sides all along the border ridge “Valli di Lanzo“ - “Valle dell'Arc“.
The Autaret tarns are largely extended and are the most elevated ones in the Lanzo's valleys.

 The two Autaret's lakes