Forza Fenestrelle - Amazing!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Buon Giorno!

(Figured I’d try the language of the country, and we’ll see how it goes!) Woke to a very changing day! When I first looked outside, there were no clouds. Next time – half an hour later, very cloudy! However, it wasn’t raining, which was the main thing! We breakfasted at 8 – downstairs in what looks to be the cellar. Breads, cakes, home-made jams, cereals, juice. Then out the door a few minutes before 9, to make it down the road a couple of miles to Fenestrelle, the fort.

Fenestrelle is an amazing sight. It is the largest fortification in Europe, and the second largest in all the world, right behind the Great Wall of China! R and I have traveled extensively in Italy and France, and never even HEARD of it until earlier this year, when it was featured in Smithsonian magazine! For those of you Olympics-watchers, it was designated as the “official symbol” for the province of Torino right before the 2006 Winter Olympics. It was built in the 1700’s, and took 122 years to complete – and it stretches a-l-o-n-g the mountain top dividing the Piedmont from France. If you Google Fort Fenestrelle you can find some information and pictures. Unfortunately, nothing that will really do it justice, because it is truly an amazing accomplishment!

So…Kent Benson, in whose B&B we’re staying, happens to be the English-speaking guide to Fenestrelle. In other words, he’s got a set of keys! Because the Fort was abandoned sometime after WWII, and just left to itself, at this point it isn’t possible to open it up completely for tourists without a guide. And, they do two tours a day – both at 9 a.m. One of the tours (the one Kent does) is 7 ½ HOURS long, and goes from the bottom all the way to the top!! The second tour is “only” 4 hours, and goes about half-way up.

I would LOVE to be able to tell you that we made it all the way to the top – it’s something like 4,000 feet basically straight UP -- and it’s STAIRS; the equivalent of much higher than the Empire State Building … but we didn’t. Instead, we went with Kent and his Italian tour to the half-way point, where we joined the shorter tour for the way down. All in all, a TRULY exhausting experience – and, at home, we walk 3+ miles a day, including a HILL! However, our hill was NOTHING compared to these STAIRS. UGH! But to look both up ahead and behind, and see nothing but STAIRS is truly daunting!! I’m afraid these legs just aren’t up to the task! Kate & Bob – you should take a look; it’s make a GREAT day hike for you!! Fortunately, Kent had lent us hiking sticks, which helped a bit – but between the uneven steps inside the tunnels, and the rough, overgrown paths used for mules to bring up cannons, power and cannon balls, it was quite an experience! My knee caps still hurt, and up until today, I don’t think I’ve ever felt them before!
Got down around 1 p.m. and ate our ham and cheese sandwiches (on terrific bread!) in the little restaurant at the bottom. Then, pausing only long enough to take in yet another Magnum Classic, we beat it back to the B&B – right into the shower for R, then naps all around.

So … slept quite soundly until the church bells from the church ACROSS the street started sounding (there they go again!) Literally, it’s 20 feet away, and we were able to hear the entire mass – and, as R says, that’s no Mormon Tabernacle Choir! People dispersing now; lots of conversations going on – all very loud and noisy; this is a very human place!

Tonight, we understand there is some kind of re-enactment to do with the Fort. Don’t know exactly what to expect, but am sure it will be fun or at least memorable! Also need to check downstairs with Michelle to get a dinner recommendation!

So – have included pictures of Fenestrelle. I hope that you will be able to get some idea of the scope of the place – Think Wall of China with forts at either end, spread across a stretch at the TOP of the Alps!

Will post this now, and then include dinner either separately (if it’s particularly memorable) or tomorrow, if it’s not!
Take care; lots of love!
m