Page 6 - Guida della Valchisone

me formano il nucleo più popoloso e con più attività commerciali ed edilizie.
E’ sede di ufficio postale, della biblioteca e di un centro sportivo con stadio,
campi da tennis, campi da bocce e capannone coperto, gestiti dalla società
Polisportiva Villarettese.
Sulla destra del paese si trova la Chiesa di S. Giovanni Battista, tempio fino al
1865. Un tempo erano presenti lungo la sponda del torrente Chisone i muli-
ni ad acqua utilizzati per la macina dei cereali e dei quali abbiamo memoria
tangibile sulla piazza centrale del paese ove sono state sistemate a ricordo
le macine. Villaretto era il paese dove maggiormente veniva praticato l’alle-
vamento del bestiame che ancor oggi sopravvive seppure in forma ridotta.

Nel territorio comunale ci sono anche due rifugi alpini il Rifugio Serafin po-
sto nel vallone di Bourcet in località Chasteiran aperto dalla primavera all’au-
tunno e il rifugio Selleries situato nell’omonima conca coronato dalle vette
dell’Orsiera Cristalliera e Rocciavrè.

Castel del Bosco – V’Lou Boc
Walking down the valley from the plain to the mountain, the first hamlet you encounter is Castel del Bosco,
immediately recognizable by the seventeenth-century Church dedicated to Santo Stefano visible on the right of
the village, showing on the facade a majestic sundial: the largest of the whole valley.
The hamlet has its name because of the ancient presence of the forest de les Ayes Castle. Few meters from hamlets
the remaining ruins of the castle it is possible to visit the still working ancient cereal water mill with all the
original equipment.
Roreto – Lou Charjau
Going up the valley adjacent to the village of Castel del Bosco we find the hamlet of Roreto. The Roreto
landmark was attributed to the Fascist regime to the inhabited area at that time called Chargeoir as it did
not comply with the Italian dictation. The original name derived from the French and in the local dialect, the
patouà, Charjau, means ‘Cargo’, because it was the gathering point for talcum coming from the Roussa mines.
The ‘bealera’, awater stream that cross the village, once upon a time was used to run two forging machines, a
mill for cereals, a pasta factory, a talc mill and a sawmill.
Balma – La Balmo
The next village going up on the Chisone Valley is Balma, the chief town that host the Municipal Palace. Balma,
from the patouà ‘Balmo’, means haven and has been called just for the characteristic rocky promontory overlo-
oking the town, above which stands the beautiful Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Graces built in 1834, pride
of the ‘balmeirin’ (the Balma inhabitants). The patron celebration is celebrated on June 1st and at the end of
Holy Mass is distributed a characteristic and unique blessed bread.