In Alto Oltrepò Pavese you can still hear the echo of an ancient tradition linked to the art of charcoal making. An ancient craft that has marked the economy and culture of the area for centuries, leaving an indelible mark on local history. The Sentiero delle Carbonaie, in Val di Nizza, is a route that is at its best in spring.
The itinerary
The itinerary is a circular route of about 13 kilometres, starting from Sant'Albano, it follows a stretch of the Nizza stream to the springs, touches the hamlet of Oramala, Pian del Re, then descends near the Oratory of San Giulio, to Poggio Ferrato, reaches the chapel of "Acqua d'Uovo" at Molino Cassano, where a small spring of sulphurous water gushes out, the hamlet of Cassano Superiore and ends at Sant'Alberto. Once you have passed the springs of Nizza, at the junction with the Sentiero dell'Aquila (Eagle's Path), which leads to Oramala, it is important to keep to the right until you reach a plateau immersed in the woods, built in the past by men for the charcoal pile.
Encounters along the way
Charcoal ovens, but not only. The pleasant walk will allow you to discover some small wonders of the area and important historical testimonies, such as the "Grotta dei Partigiani", a hiding place during the years of the Resistance, and the sanctuary dedicated to the "Madonna del Turista", a work from the 1970s by the Pavia sculptor Vittorio Grilli. On the evening of the first Sunday in August, for almost sixty years,
on the occasion of the feast of the "Madonna del Turista" and the patron saint's day of St. Albano, the rite of the procession "aux flambeaux" from the church of St. Albano to the Sanctuary is celebrated. The wonders continue with the Oratory of St. Michael (11th-13th centuries), which houses a 17th century painting of St. Michael killing the dragon, the Oramala Castle (11th century) and the Oratory of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (14th century). Then there is nature. Among ravines, flowers, centuries-old chestnut trees and views of the entire Apennine chain.
History of the charcoal kilns in Oltrepò Pavese
One of the hardest jobs in the mountains was that of charcoal burner. The practice of charcoal making consists in the production of vegetable charcoal through the carbonisation of wood. This technique dates back to ancient times and was widespread until the beginning of the 20th century. Charcoal kilns were located in strategic forest areas where wood was abundant and environmental conditions were favourable for charcoal production. Many farmers turned to coal production to supplement their income during periods of low agricultural activity. The coal produced was then transported to the towns for a variety of uses, the most popular being metallurgy.
Coal production process
Producing charcoal was an art that required skill and knowledge. The charcoal pits consisted of large piles of wood, which were then covered with a layer of earth and leaves to prevent direct contact with the air. A system of pipes was then created to allow air to flow and control the temperature inside the charcoal kilns. This carbonisation process took several days, during which time the wood was gradually transformed into charcoal. The plateaus on which the charcoal kilns were built had to be far from draughts and if the terrain was steep they were supported by dry stone walls.
