Ciciu del Villar Nature Reserve

A unique area from a geological point of view, the small Ciciu del Villar Nature Reserve is in Villar San Costanzo, not far from the delightfully picturesque little town of Dronero and at the entrance to the Maira Valley. This protected area was set up to safeguard a very peculiar erosion phenomenon called “Ciciu” in Piedmontese, which means stone puppets. The Ciciu are natural morphological formations with a giant mushroom shape, which emerge at the foot of the Mount San Bernardo massif. It is truly amazing experience to walk through the forest and come across these giant mushrooms scattered here and there.