The origins of the town's name are uncertain: the most accepted theory traces the name from the Germanic "wald" (forest). Municipality in the province of Cuneo located on the left bank of the stream Gesso, Valdieri is the ideal starting point for many interesting excursions such as the ones to the Pass of the Vagliotta, the Peak Ghilliè and the plain of Lagarot. The town is part, along with neighboring towns of Entracque, Vernante and Aisone of the Maritime Alps Natural Park, a protected area of almost 28,000 hectares of land, created in 1995 by the merge of Park Argentera and the Forest and Lake Reserve of Palanfré.
The center has early medieval origins and the first official document attesting the existence of the town dates back to the XIII century: at that time it depended on the Abbey of Pedona. Shortly after the inhabitants swore allegiance to the Anjou and was proclaimed municipality, even though most of the population were thriving to remain under the rule of the abbey. After the fall of the Angevin, the town became part of the domain under the control of Amadeus VI and in 1372 it was ceded in fief to Charles Marquis of Ceva. In 1424 Valdieri passed to the Savoy, of which it followed the same fate, until the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis in the XVI century. In the XVII century the Duke Carlo Emanuele I assigned the County of Valdieri to the Lord of Castle Rainero. During the period of French rule the town submitted strong damage and looting by the French troops.
Not to miss:
- the Church of St. Martino, located in the main square, it was built in the XVIII century on the remains of a pre-existing building. It presents a Neoclassical façade embellished with four columns surmounted by a pediment, the interior is decorated with marble and frescoes and keeps a marble relief depicting the Pietà, masterpiece of the brothers Collino;
- the Parish Church of St Anne, built in 1819, it features a single nave, a façade topped by a gable, a porch and fine interior decorations;
- the Chapel of the Visitation, built in the late XVI century and features inside valuable frescoes;
- the Shrine of Our Lady of the Colletto of the XVII century;
- the recently discovered Necropolis with prehistoric finds from the Bronze Age;
- the Natural Park of the Maritime Alps, which extends over approximately 26000 hectares and presents an extraordinary variety of species of plants and animals;
- the Alpine Botanical Garden;
- the Nature Reserve;
- the Environment Museum of Segake, an open air museum;
- the Museum of traditional crafts;
- the Ethnographic Museum.