The roads marked by the steps of pilgrims who crossed the plains in all seasons to reach Rome defined the European road as 'The Francigena Way'.
Only a few meters of this road remain today, but there are numerous traces of the thousands of kilometers that ran from cities to villages, to castles and abbeys. The name Francigena was chosen because the first segments of this road crossed the Alps from France to Piedmont. Modernizing that stretch was made possible by the collaboration of the Regions that wished to affirm the unity of the route, in spite of the diversity and peculiarities of the various territorial situations.
In view of the Jubilee of the year 2000, Europe is preparing to rediscover the historic-cultural heritage of this ancient route. Piedmont is a significant part of the project, which is sponsored by the Commission of the European Union.
In medieval times the route was reached by the two passes: the Great St. Bernard and the Monceniso, from which two important arteries descended. Among the rest points, one was undoubtedly Asti.
A project promoted by Regione Piemonte, the Tourism Promotion Agency and the State Railway offers tourists who arrive in Asti from Turin or Genoa special prices on wine and food every Saturday and Sunday, and some weekday evenings, until the end of November.
The roads marked by the steps of pilgrims who crossed the plains in all seasons to reach Rome defined the European road as 'The Francigena Way'.