From Modena to Massa on foot, new signs for the Via Vandelli route

Thanks to the “Places of the Heart” campaign, promoted by FAI and Intesa Sanpaolo, red and white trail markers and information panels will be positioned.

MODENA – The idea was Francesco III d’Este’s. When he ascended to the throne of the Duchy of Modena, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, he built a modern road that would reach the sea from his capital, thanks to the acquisition of the Duchy
of Massa after the marriage of his son Ercole III to Maria Teresa Cybo Malaspina. A visionary work that became reality thanks to the project of the mathematician Domenico Vandelli, who also gave it its name. Today via Vandelli has become a hiking itinerary on which the campaign “I luoghi del Cuore”, promoted by Fai and Intesa Sanpaolo, has decided to invest with the painting and installation of the traditional red and white trail signs in all the territories crossed by the path that from Modena reaches Massa through Sassuolo, Pavullo nel Frignano and Castelnuovo di Garfagnana.

FOR THE PROJECT 18,000 EUROS FROM FAI AND INTESA SANPAOLO AND 5,500 EUROS FROM MUNICIPALITIES AND Unione TERRE DI CASTELLI

The project, which also includes the positioning of tourist and cultural information panels, is made possible thanks to the contribution of 18,000 from Fai and Intesa Sanpaolo, to which is added a co-financing of 5,500 euros guaranteed by the Municipalities of Modena, Sassuolo, Pavullo nel Frignano, Formigine, Maranello and the Unione Terre di Castelli (for Castelnuovo Rangone and Castelvetro di Modena). The project has received the support of 20 out of 21 Municipalities crossed by the road in the provinces of Modena, Lucca and Massa-Carrara and the support of the Province of Modena. “Via Vandelli has struck and fascinated us since we discovered it thanks to the census, which as often happens leads us into contact with extraordinary places, of great historical and landscape importance, but of which knowledge has been lost over time – explains Federica Armiraglio, head of Fai for the campaign “I Luoghi del Cuore” -. We hope that the support of the Fai will offer, in addition to the enhancement activity, also a contribution of notoriety and even more of awareness, leading the territory crossed and united by Via Vandelli to re-know itself as a historical unit, increasingly pushing the many municipalities to unite to proudly promote the value of this heritage”.

IN 2023 MORE THAN 3,000 HIKERS ON THE ROUTE, NOW AIMED AT DOUBLEING

In 2023, the path welcomed over 3,000 people from all over Italy and even from beyond the Alps. With the right development of information signs and the hospitality network, the aim is to double the number of visitors. In detail, the interventions consist of marking the path with white and red paint on trees and rocks by volunteers from the Italian Alpine Club sections. In addition, directional signposts will be installed to facilitate walking near critical points of the route such as forks or intersections, providing the walker with a safe reference point. The direction of the arrival point of the path and the indicative travel time for an average walker towards nearby locations and the end of the stage will be indicated. Location signs are also planned to indicate the toponymy and altitude of the places crossed and information panels to allow the territories to present their excellence both on the route and outside it.