Ring of the Bandito and the Butterflies

From the bulletin board in front of the chapel, take the dirt road on the right in the quarry area towards Andonno (palina). At the first crossroads at the foot of the steps, turn right (boulder with notch): the path that comes from Valdieri will be the one used for the return. Proceed first uphill then descending again to road level to go up along a stream in the shade of shrubs and chestnut trees and then cross downhill on a dirt road as far as the first houses of Andonno, leaving the Chapel of the Madonna del Gerbetto on the left (point water). Arrived in the square of the hamlet of Andonno (fountain), go down to the provincial road, which you cross to reach and in turn cross the bridge over the Gesso stream. You will soon reach the shady village of Tetto Bandito (water point): here the cycle path begins and you take it to the right to quickly arrive in the shadow of the looming limestone wall that hides the Grotte del Bandito. In spring, it's better not to stay too long: in fact, unstable boulders have a tendency to choose the period of the thaw to decide to jump off. Walk along a sort of grassy beach along the Gesso stream and climb up and down towards the village of Cialombard. Proceed upstream among cultivated fields, pastures and rows of ash trees. At a trout farm (fountain), turn right onto the bridge to quickly reach Valdieri. You can take advantage of the fountain known as "della Bela Rosìn" to quench your thirst in front of the Art Nouveau villa, seat of the Protected Areas of the Maritime Alps, and then go back up in the direction of the town hall. Before the town hall, turn right onto Via Umberto I, a panoramic balcony facing south which you can walk up to the canopy that protects the site of the necropolis of Valdieri. Here you turn left and – browsing through the reconstructions of houses and furnaces from the Bronze Age – you take the real butterfly path, giving preference to the more interesting branch, the one that runs at the foot of the cliff. Following the white and red notches you reach the site of the former quarry, where in spring and summer you can observe the work of insects. Proceed east until you come back in sight of the chapel of San Giovanni and the starting point.