Your Journey Through the Loop
Bric del Vento
Your basecamp and the highest point of the route at roughly 400 m above sea level. On a clear morning the panorama stretches from the Ligurian Apennines to Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso, with the Monferrato amphitheatre of vine-striped hills spread below.
Viale d'Asti
A quiet agricultural commune perched on a gentle ridge. The village core clusters around a small Romanesque church, and the surrounding lanes are hemmed in by rows of Barbera and Grignolino vines. The descent into Viale from Bric del Vento is one of the most enjoyable stretches of the route: fast, smooth tarmac with open views on both sides.
Pieia
Pieia is a tiny frazione that feels suspended in time. Fewer than a hundred inhabitants, a cluster of stone farmhouses, and a view that opens dramatically westward over the Asti plain. The stretch between Viale and Pieia follows a high ridge path with vines on either side; in autumn the leaves turn amber and gold.
Cortanze
Cortanze is one of the most picturesque villages in the Astigiano, presided over by a handsome medieval castle dating to the 12th century. The village is a tight knot of terracotta-roofed houses, a belltower, and narrow cobbled lanes — exactly the kind of place you park your bike against a wall and wander for twenty minutes.
Montechiaro d'Asti
The largest settlement on this loop sits proudly on a hilltop — "monte chiaro" means "bright hill". The ruined castle and remains of the old walls are still clearly visible. The 3 km descent into Montechiaro from Cortanze through vineyards is one of the best segments of the ride.
Soglio
Soglio is the home village of this rental — a small agricultural commune surrounded by vineyards, with a compact historic centre and a Romanesque parish church. The climb back from Soglio to Bric del Vento is the final challenge: about 200 m of elevation over 4 km, rewarded with the full panorama at the top.
