Fobello – Selle di Baranca Partisan Walk

A journey through nature and memory

The Fobello – Selle di Baranca Partisan Walk is a key event in the annual Partisan Walks series, an initiative promoted by ANPI Varallo and Alta Valsesia in collaboration with the Institute for the History of the Resistance and Contemporary Society in the Biella, Vercelli, and Valsesia areas, along with other local ANPI sections. From April through autumn, one hike per month leads hikers and history enthusiasts along the trails where the War of Liberation was fought, turning mountain paths into spaces for collective memory.

This stage begins in the hamlet of Santa Maria di Fobello, in the municipality of Fobello, in the upper Valsesia valley (Province of Vercelli, Piedmont), and climbs towards Alpe Selle di Baranca, at an altitude of approximately 1,800 meters, at the foot of the mountain pass connecting the Valsesia and Anzasca valleys.

Villa Aprilia and the Free Zone of Valsesia

The Baranca Pass was a strategic crossing long before the Resistance, but in the autumn of 1943, it became a vital corridor: Allied soldiers fleeing prison camps and Jewish families heading for Switzerland passed along the ancient emigrant trail, guided by anti-fascist locals. From January 1944, Alpe Selle and the surrounding mountain huts hosted partisan squads from the Valsesia, Cusio, and the plains.

Standing on these alpine pastures was Villa Aprilia, built at the beginning of the 20th century and later associated with the Lancia family. During the war, it became a precious refuge for partisans. During the Nazi-Fascist raids of April 1944, which brought an end to the Free Zone of Valsesia, the villa was burned and destroyed. Today, its ruins—recognized as a FAI "Place of the Heart"—stand as a silent monument to the solidarity and sacrifice of those years.

How the walk works

The hike is classified as intermediate/hiking level and involves a challenging elevation gain and distance, though it is accessible to those with a basic level of fitness. Throughout the journey, historians and guides explain the events of the Resistance and daily life in the valleys during the conflict, making the day an opportunity for both deep reflection and physical activity.

• Meeting point in Santa Maria di Fobello (time communicated by organizers).
• Ascent towards Alpe Selle di Baranca and Villa Aprilia.
• Historical commentary provided along the route.
• Packed lunch; the organizers provide local cheese and wine.

Why participate

The Partisan Walk is much more than a hike: it is a tangible way to keep the bond alive between the history of the Resistance and the places where that history unfolded. Walking towards the Selle di Baranca, amidst the woods and alpine pastures of the upper Valsesia, allows you to combine the beauty of the mountain landscape with the memory of those who fought for freedom in these very mountains.