Pian Freibougio.

This area is known as Pian Littorio and as Pian Fribougio the original one being the latter which means “plain cold that moves”. One just needs to go there once at winter to understand why… The site was renamed Littorio, after the symbol of fascism, during the dictatorship. We have the chance to know more about this decision going through the notes of Piero Sartorio.
It is called “plain” as it is less steep than surrounding mountains but don’t expect to see anything really horizontal…
The area hosts the remains of some barracks used by the border militia until World War II. There is the arrival station of a cableway and other buildings.

"Once upon a time, there was a guy called Alessandro Berutti who was to become a fascist hierarch (at the beginning in Pinerolo, then in Alessandria). At that time he was only a little boss in the border militia. He was open minded, lovely, rough in his expressions and aimed to be a writer. I don’t know if at the time of these pictures (end of September 1930) he was still in the valley or he was already in Pinerolo. However, it happened that he invited me to see the test of a new Fiat tractor that, according to the intentions of the designers, was supposed to climb the paths on the mountains.
Mr. Berutti thought to start from Ribba hamlet, the last of Praly, to go to Bo dâ Col and then towards the barracks of the border militia situated near the Col d’Abries in a place that he called Pian Littorio by himself.

“I took the first picture that shows the first problems”
Pictures: Piero Sartorio. September 1930.

“the second [picture] was taken on purpose with the camera a bit inclined in order to show a tougher slope.”
Looking at this picture one can spot some details. A person has the tie and most are well dressed. Nowadays, if we saw a person with a tie on the mountains we would consider him crazy! At that time, mountains were neither an hobby nor a sport place for weekends. It was a place where people lived. And when there was an event, everybody used to wear the best clothes.
Going somewhere walking was not relevant. It was the only possible way. On the mountains, no way to use a bicycle which was anyway an innovation also in the cities.
Pictures: Piero Sartorio. September 1930.

Building hosting the arrival station of the cable way seen for the path.
August 2007.

Building hosting the arrival station of the cable way seen towards Praly. Near the little lake there are the basements of a tower of the cable way.
August 2007.

Building.
August 2007.

Cable way arrival.
August 2007.

Inside.
August 2007.