Brigands' Road

The Roero with the Alto Astigiano leads to the discovery of a region known as the Brigands' Road, so called because of the presence of brigandage in this territory in past centuries, as evidenced by proverbs and popular tales. Brigandage had significant development in Piedmont, as well as in the rest of Italy, often representing the only resource for peasants oppressed by feudal abuses. Over the centuries brigandage also took on political connotations with ideological objectives, as in the period of the Napoleonic Republic. Hunger and despair caused by war led many peasants to practice brigandage, especially towards the end of the nineteenth century. Territories such as Cisterna d'Asti and Ferrere, wild and sparsely populated, offered an ideal environment for thefts and raids. The phenomenon occurred again in the twentieth century, up to the Second World War. Today the Brigands' Road is a suggestive attraction and can be a connecting thread to discover a territory rich in natural and landscape beauties. Cisterna d'Asti is an important focal point, which unites the morphological characteristics of Roero with those of the Alfieri hills. This itinerary also connects to the Saints' Road and the great paths of religiosity.