At over 1,600 metres above sea level, in the municipality of Baceno, the ’Alpe Devero is one of Piedmont’s most beloved Alpine plateaus: a mosaic of pastures, larch trees and lakes set within the Alpe Veglia-Devero Natural Park, a destination for hikers, photographers and mountain lovers who come to the Ossola Valley even just for a day here.
A plateau of lakes and pastures
The landscape of Alpe Devero alternates stone and wooden mountain huts, expanses of pastureland and the distinctive Lake Codelago (also known as Lake of the Witches), which reflects the surrounding peaks in summer and is one of the area’s most photographed spots. Numerous trails start here, leading towards mountain huts, still-active Alpine pastures and mountain passes, suitable both for those looking for a leisurely walk and for those wishing to take on more demanding hikes.
The Alpe Veglia-Devero Natural Park
The area is part of the Alpe Veglia-Devero Natural Park, established to protect one of Ossola’s best-preserved Alpine environments: high-altitude pastures, larch forests and wildlife including chamois, marmots and numerous species of Alpine birds. The coexistence of traditional Alpine farming and environmental protection remains the defining feature of this mountain corner today.
Bettelmatt, the Alpine gold
It is precisely in the high-altitude pastures of Alpe Devero that one of Italy’s finest and rarest cheeses is produced: Bettelmatt, made in very limited quantities during the summer from the milk of cows that feed on the aromatic herbs of these meadows. We discuss it in greater detail, together with a possible wine pairing, in the article dedicated to wine and Bettelmatt cheese.
How to get there and when to visit
Alpe Devero can be reached from Baceno, in the Antigorio Valley, via a mountain road that climbs towards the plateau. The best period for hiking runs from late spring to early autumn, when the trails are free of snow; in winter, the area becomes a small paradise for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
To check opening times, car access arrangements and the seasonal opening of mountain huts and facilities, refer to the website of the Veglia Devero Park Authority.
After the hike, a stop among the vineyards
Those visiting Alpe Devero can combine a day at high altitude with a stop further down the valley, among the vineyards of the Ossola Valley: a tasting is a natural way to round off a day in the mountains, perhaps by sampling a wine alongside a wheel of Bettelmatt.
Crampiolo, the village of traditional mountain huts
About a 40–45-minute walk from Alpe Devero lies Crampiolo, a charming cluster of traditional mountain huts at the foot of the Codelago dam and Pizzo Crampiolo. The village’s small dairy, run by the Olzeri family, is one of the nine authorised producers of Bettelmatt, with its Alpine pastures located just above Crampiolo, at Alpe Sangiatto. Crampiolo is also a key hiking crossroads, with trails leading towards Val Formazza, the Antigorio Valley and the Alpine pastures of Gran Est, as well as being the most convenient starting point for reaching Lake of the Witches and the Lake Codelago dam in just a few minutes.
Mountain huts and high-altitude hospitality
On the northern edge of the Alpe Devero plain stands Capanna Castiglioni, a Club Alpino Italiano mountain hut offering accommodation to hikers wishing to extend their stay at high altitude. In the Crampiolo area, several farm stays offer refreshments and overnight accommodation, allowing visitors to explore this mountain corner at a leisurely pace over two or more days, rather than on a single day hike.
Those who return to Alpe Devero several times over the years often choose to do so in different seasons, discovering how the same landscape can appear completely transformed between the summer flowering of the pastures and the whiteness of winter snow: a versatility that makes this plateau a destination able to meet a wide variety of preferences and needs.
