Historical itineraries in the Western Alps. Memories and culture in a case study of a Valais and Ossola Valleys

Ossola Valley, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, is in the northernmost part of Piedmont (Italy). The Alpine passes were crossed since ancient times to connect Italy with the transalpine regions of the Roman Empire; some of them had already been frequented since the Bronze Age, as evidenced by the findings of hunters' camps at high altitude. The Walsers used the passes of the Pennine and Lepontine Alps during their migration towards the Italian region and, in particular, they crossed the Gries Pass that separates the Formazza Valley from Valais. This road continued to be frequented even after the Middle Ages, keeping the Walser of the Ossola Valley in contact with their communities of origin north of the Alps, but above all allowing commercial traffic (and sometimes even the passage of armies) between the cities of the Po Valley and the Germanic world.