March on the Partisan Trails

A memorial march in the heart of Valle Maira

The March on the Partisan Trails is a commemorative event held every June 2nd, on Republic Day, bringing together citizens, families, and hikers in Roccabruna (Province of Cuneo, Piedmont) to walk the paths of the Resistance in Valle Maira. This is not a typical village fair or festival, but a memorial walk that connects physical activity with historical remembrance in one of the areas most deeply marked by the partisan struggle in the Cuneo region.

Route and Schedule

The meeting point and start are set for 9:00 AM in Borgata Centro, Roccabruna. From here, a roughly two-hour walk begins, climbing up to the "Carlo Fissore" partisan refuge in the hamlet of Sant'Anna di Roccabruna. Along the way, participants are accompanied by students from the "Donadio" Hotel School of Dronero, who explain the sites of partisan memory and recount episodes of the Resistance linked to these slopes.

Upon reaching the refuge around 12:30 PM, a social gathering takes place: a picnic lunch (provided by participants) followed by music and partisan songs to commemorate the birth of the Italian Republic. The event takes place even in case of bad weather; participants are responsible for their own return.

The "Carlo Fissore" Refuge and the 104th Garibaldi Brigade

The destination of the march is the Refuge of the 104th Garibaldi Brigade, dedicated to Carlo Fissore and located in Sant'Anna di Roccabruna. During the twenty months of the Resistance, the Roccabruna area, with its numerous hamlets, was a stronghold for the Garibaldi partisans led by Stefano "Steve" Revelli, who controlled the left side of the valley, while the Justice and Liberty formation guarded the opposite side. Valle Maira was the scene of Nazi-fascist roundups and reprisals, with the villages of San Damiano Macra and Cartignano set on fire in July 1944. Walking toward this refuge means traversing the actual sites of that history.

Organizers

The March is promoted by the ANPI Section of Dronero and Valle Maira, in collaboration with the Municipalities of Dronero, Villar San Costanzo, Roccabruna, Cartignano, and San Damiano Macra, and with the guides from the Dronero Hotel School. It is a well-established valley tradition, held annually on the symbolic date of June 2nd.

Who is it for?

The event is free and open to everyone: families, schools, and enthusiasts of hiking and history. It is an opportunity to combine an easy mountain hike with the civic value of remembrance in an authentic corner of the Piedmontese Valle Maira.