Ronco Canavese

Ronco Canavese is nestled in the alpine region of Valle Soana. Ronco Canavese is a small mountain municipality in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 50 km north of Turin. It lies at the center of the Soana Valley (Valle Soana), perched on one side of the Soana river and surrounded by dense forests and towering peaks.

The village sits at about 956 m elevation, while its territory ranges from deep valley floors (around 774 m) up to high alpine summits of over 3,400 m. This dramatic terrain is part of the Graian Alps near the Gran Paradiso massif, featuring waterfalls, glacial cirques, and pristine mountain lakes. The climate is alpine, with cold, snowy winters and mild summers – the area receives abundant precipitation, including over 3 meters of snowfall annually on average.

These natural conditions have fostered rich forests and alpine meadows, making Ronco Canavese a green haven with unspoiled ecosystems.

Ronco Canavese borders the following municipalities: Cogne, Valprato Soana, Traversella, Locana, Ingria, Ribordone, Pont Canavese, Convento, Bosco, and Sparone.

In recent years (2023–2025), Ronco Canavese has undertaken several initiatives to revitalize the community and improve local infrastructure. In 2025, the municipal government introduced a tourist lodging tax—reportedly the first in the Soana Valley—set at €1.50 per night per visitor. The revenue, estimated at a few thousand euros annually, is allocated entirely to enhancing tourist services, such as improved signage, trail maintenance, local events, and partnerships with neighboring towns to enrich the visitor experience. This initiative reflects the administration’s view of tourism as a key driver of sustainable local development, with the goal of improving the quality of visitor experiences and attracting more tourists to Ronco Canavese.

Another recent initiative in Ronco Canavese is the deployment of digital infrastructure for environmental monitoring. In April 2025, the Politecnico di Torino installed two new weather stations as part of the national recovery plan (PNRR) project "Montagna Digitale e Sostenibile". These stations, located at the sports facility in Via Valprato and at the former school in the Tressi hamlet, supplement an existing ARPA Piemonte station and contribute to collecting local climate data. Although not certified for official use, the data supports scientific research and regional meteorological networks.

In spring 2025, the municipality overhauled its waste management system. A new collection method introduced by Teknoservice was accompanied by community outreach, including public meetings and the release of a dedicated smartphone app to assist residents and second-home owners. The program aims to modernize waste services, increase recycling rates, and better preserve the alpine environment.

Local authorities have also emphasized infrastructure safety and legality. Between 2024 and 2025, several building sites in the area underwent official inspections, resulting in enforcement measures where safety violations were found.

In April 2025, Ronco Canavese was affected by a severe rainstorm that caused flooding and landslides throughout the Soana Valley. Roads such as Crotto–Tiglietto and Cernisio–Servino were temporarily closed due to washouts, and several hamlets including Convento and Villanuova experienced stream overflows. Trail networks also suffered damage, including the Ronco–Tiglietto path. In response, the municipality and Gran Paradiso National Park rangers formed a 24/7 emergency task force to conduct surveys and coordinate repairs. Restoration and resilience planning are underway, prompted in part by signs of changing climate conditions, such as unusually low snowlines during the storm.

One of the most ambitious development efforts in the region is “Progetto Apice,” launched in 2025 to counter mountain depopulation and promote local entrepreneurship. The project, supported by the Compagnia di San Paolo foundation and Réseau Entreprendre Piemonte, identifies the Soana Valley—including Ronco Canavese, Valprato, and Ingria—as a “laboratory of social innovation.” It provides mentoring, training, and financial support to entrepreneurs under 40, with up to ten projects undergoing incubation and six receiving grants of up to €25,000. Initiatives may include agro-tourism, local services, or reuse of unused public buildings. The Mayor, Lorenzo Giacomino, described the initiative as “a real opportunity for young people to build a future in our mountains,” underlining the goal of revitalizing the highlands without sacrificing their heritage.