The Savara torrent

The Savara gave its name to the Valsavarenche, the valley it runs through. It is fed by the glaciers of the Gran Paradiso massif and flows north down to the plain of the Dora Baltea. Its course alternates between fast stretches and calmer ones. It passes through gorges, larch forests and mountain pastures.

In the water and on the banks

Brown trout live in the cold, well-oxygenated waters of the Savara. The torrent is also home to many aquatic insects, which feed fish and birds. Amphibians live in the calmer areas. Gentians flower on the banks and in the nearby meadows. Edelweiss grows higher up, on the rocky slopes.

Mills, meadows and climate change

For centuries the people of the valley used the Savara to water their meadows and turn their mills. The river still matters to the valley’s economy, particularly for farming and tourism.

The warming climate threatens it. The glaciers are melting faster. Droughts and violent storms are more frequent. These changes alter the river’s flow and affect the species that depend on it.

A protected torrent

A large part of the Valsavarenche lies within the Gran Paradiso National Park. Several measures protect the Savara there:

• the most sensitive habitats are under strict protection;
• waymarked paths guide visitors without damaging the banks;
• water quality is checked regularly;
• information campaigns are aimed at residents and tourists.

What to do in the Valsavarenche

• Walking: many paths link the larch forests with the mountain pastures. The normal route up Gran Paradiso starts from Pont, at the head of the valley.
• Fishing: the Savara is known for its trout.
• Wildlife watching: with binoculars, ibex, chamois and marmots are easy to spot.
• Villages: the hamlets of the valley have kept their traditional houses.