The tourist guide’s proposal: “A solution to open sacred places is the app like in Chiaverano”
IVREA. It’s easy to talk about slow or sweet tourism in Canavese, with the wonders of the Via Francigena just around the corner. The problem, however, arises when a group of tourists, stationed in Ivrea, wants to reach a Romanesque church or any point of interest. “There is simply no transport – explains the president of the Ecomuseum Ami Giuliano Canavese -, whoever comes here must organize themselves either by car or by private bus”.
The famous slow tourist, therefore, is seen as a miracle. It just comes, it happens, it rains from the sky. It is the average distances that are totally uncovered. Those who want to get to Gesiùn di Piverone from Ivrea, for example, do not have public transport available. «The only one is to reach Bollengo with a scheduled bus – explains Paolo Facchin, president of the Via Francigena di Sigerico association – and then continue on foot. Transport – he adds – is one of the sore points. There are many pilgrims who leave from Aosta and end the stage in Viverone. But from Viverone, in summer, there is no bus to return to Ivrea. In winter, however, there is one in the morning that goes and one in the evening that returns, for school children. But it is not enough ». Even worse goes to those who would like to reach the sanctuary of Sant’Antonio Abate in via Boscarina in Azeglio. Another Francigena wonder that remains inaccessible to buses.
Pilgrims in Ivrea also point out the few places available in cheap b & bs. And then there is the question of the churches that are always closed. Which risks being the oldest: even if a way were found to reach them, it would be impossible to visit them inside. “It is a deeply felt problem – explains Facchin -, especially by those who undertake a path for a religious spirit”.
Silvia Causone, professional tour guide and dinner teacher, has experienced all these problems firsthand. Together with her colleague Lucia Martinet and 25 young people from the tourist address, she was the protagonist of a real enterprise. It consisted in reaching three Romanesque churches – Pieve di San Lorenzo (Settimo Vittone), Gesiùn (Piverone) and Santo Stefano in Sessano (Chiaverano) -, to lay out an itinerary of the Francigena, without the use of a private car. «First of all – he explains -, there is a problem of fragmentation. We had to turn to three different bus companies. There is one that goes to Settimo Vittone, one to Chiaverano and the other that manages the route to Piverone and Viverone. In the latter case we had to rent a private coach. Surely a widespread bus network would be useful, especially in spring and autumn, which are the real seasons of tourism in Canavese. Even though the people I accompanied never asked about the buses. These are mostly groups that arrive organized by their own means. What is surprising is that often even those arriving from Cigliano do not know what is in Ivrea. We need more publicity ».
The problem of closed churches, however, remains the most serious. Not only for the Romanesque ones, but also for the Ivrea jewels. «When San Bernardino is not in the sight program – explains Causone -, it often happens that it is requested the same day. But at that point it becomes difficult to contact the volunteers, who rightly have their commitments. The same goes for San Gaudenzio ».
During the experience with the students of the Cena, Causone was able to verify the functioning of the App which automatically opens and closes the church of Santo Stefano in Sessano and also allows you to start a small tour. “That’s a good idea – explains the tour guide -. Initially it didn’t work for us, then we called a phone number, they answered us immediately and they unlocked the situation. Since the Chiaverano app works, why not extend it to Ivrea as well? ».