Located at the foothill of the Vin Vert Mountain, the chalk mines of Signols represent the most important activity of chalk extraction in Susa Valley and were used until the end of the sixties in the 20th century. The place is very interesting from the geological and mineral point of view but also for the testimonials of the industrial archaeology here preserved: tracks, trolleys and pylons to transport the chalk. An ancient oven is the evidence of the production of building plaster
Starting point and arrival: Signols (1110 m)
Maximum
Height: Cave
di gesso (1470 m)
Height
Difference: 360
m
Climbing
time: 2h30
Water points: Signols
Difficulty: Easy path
Mapping: Fraternali n.1 1 :25.000 Alta Valle Susa
Access. Follow
the road to Bardonecchia and after Signols take right on the first
road opposite to
Casa Alpina Don Macario and park
Path. An
illustrated panel show the visitors the path to the Chalk mine that
has been put in security in 2008 by the Oulx administration and
preserved by the Consorzio
Forestale Alta Valle di Susa.
The
area is a part of the “Sito
di Interesse Comunitario”
called“Oasi
Xerotermica di Oulx-Auberge”
characterised by the predominance of limestone rocks of a great
importance for the exploitation of the territory resources from the
mineralogic point of view. Follow the dirt road until the iron bar
that stops the access to the cars, continue the path on the right for
15 minutes or follow the dirt road and then take on the right the
Ourettas path- longer but easier- for about 1 h, reach the minerally
site, that has been utilised from 1881 to the sixties. The mines at
open air and in the mountains -of about 2 kilometres long -were
served by tracks and trolleys with pylons to transport the chalk down
to the place called Portetta
