Orco Valley Explained

Orco Valley
Other Name:	Valle Locana or Valle di Ceresole
Location:	Piedmont, Italy
Coordinates:	45.417°N 7.467°W
Orientation:	west east
Length:	around 50km (30miles)
Elevation:	300m-4061mm (1,000feet-13,323feetm)
Type:	Glacial valley^[1]
Towns:	Alpette, Ceresole Reale, Locana, Noasca, Pont Canavese, Ribordone, Sparone, Cuorgnè

The Orco Valley (Italian: Valle dell'Orco) is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy located in the Graian Alps, in the territory of the Metropolitan City of Turin. The valley takes its name from the Orco river, which flows through the valley.

The valley connects Pont Canavese to the Nivolet Pass. It is the site of a series of hydroelectric power plants, including that of the Lake of Ceresole.

The main municipalities in the Orco Valley are Locana, Noasca and Ceresole Reale.

Summits

Summits in the valley include:

• Gran Paradiso (4,061 m)
• Torre del Gran San Pietro (3,692 m)
• Ciarforon (3,642 m)
• Levanna Centrale (3,619 m)
• Punta di Galisia (3,345 m)
• Torre di Lavina (3,308 m)
• Punta Leynir (3,238 m)
• Punta Bes (3,177 m)

Nature protection

A large part of the north side of the valley belongs to the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso.^[2]

Notes and References

1. La valle Orco, Gran Paradiso national park web site www.pngp.it (accessed in December 2012)
2. Carta dei sentieri e dei rifugi scala 1:50.000 n. 3 Il Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso, Istituto Geografico Centrale - Torino