The best cycling routes in Monte Antessio - Chiusola

small village but very suggestive and picturesque to pass by bicycle

The dirt road that connects the Foce di Rastrello with the Foce di Prabono stands out for its extraordinary scenic beauty, with wide views of the Apennine ridges and the wide expanse of the woods and valleys below. From a cycling point of view, however, it is quite a challenging stretch, especially due to the characteristics of the ground. The road has a hard base, but in several sections the ground is not very compact, with loose gravel or passages ruined by erosion. With wide and knobby tires, the difficulties are significantly reduced, both uphill and downhill, thanks to the good level of grip guaranteed by the tires — obviously provided that the ground is dry. The situation is different if you mount a set of gravel tires, even if in a generous format, but with a smooth central tread, as in the case of the Vittoria Terreno Zero. Downhill, this type of tire requires extra attention, while uphill the poor grip on the looser sections means a greater expenditure of energy. In any case, the physical effort is amply repaid by the natural context, which offers highly suggestive scenarios in every direction, making this crossing one of the most fascinating of the entire Apennine ridge between Liguria and Tuscany.

During the Second World War, the Pra Bon area, located in the mountainous territory of the Municipality of Zeri (Massa-Carrara), played a strategic role in the supply network organized by the Allies for the partisan formations active in the Ligurian-Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. The location, a high grassy expanse located near the Foce di Prabono, was used as a launch field for materials intended for the liberation struggle. Due to its isolated position, difficult to access by land but visible from the sky and large enough to receive airdrops, Pra Bon was ideal for this purpose. Allied aircraft — generally taking off from southern Italy or from bases in Corsica — carried out night airdrops of weapons, ammunition, food, medicines and radio equipment intended for the partisan detachments operating in the area. The materials were parachuted and collected on site by the partisan brigades, who then took care of their distribution and protection. The operations were not without risks. The area was subject to continuous roundups by Nazi-Fascist forces, aware of the logistical importance of those places. In particular, on August 3, 1944, near the nearby Monte Picchiara, a violent clash took place between partisan forces and German troops during one of these roundups. The toponym "Pra Bon" or "Pra Bono", which means "good meadow" in the local dialect, still evokes the memory of that period: from a place of transhumance and summer pasture, it was transformed for a few crucial months into a clandestine hub of the Resistance, a meeting point between the mountains of Lunigiana and the liberated skies.

Village historically linked to the tradition of transhumance The ancient village of Noce is one of the first villages you encounter when entering the Zeri Valleys. In ancient times, the village of Noce was completely rural, historically linked to the work of shepherds and with them to the beautiful tradition of transhumance towards the town of Formentara. This took place through the ancient road called "Trianara", recently restored. During the Second World War, the village of Noce suffered a terrible roundup, during which almost the entire village was burned down. Today, the current village is very different from the original, which in ancient times was built almost entirely of stone arches and vaults.

Here the dirt road runs along the ridge of the mountains between the Vara Valley and the Magra Valley

The Ponte della Cresa is a stone bridge built in the 14th century and despite the frequent flooding of the Verde river, it has maintained its original structure to this day. The bridge connects the new neighborhoods with the historic center. The bridge is located along the Verde river near Porta San Francesco. Under the arch of this bridge, on January 31, the characteristic fire of San Geminiano takes place. The Ponte della Cresa is considered by many to be the true symbol of the city of Pontremoli. It is also interesting to note that the name Pontremoli derives from the Latin 'Pons Tremulus', which means 'unsafe bridge'. This was a term used to describe the original conurbation of the city.

Entrance to Pontremoli from Porta San Francesco

Beautiful path along the river to enjoy nature and relax