A few minutes from La Corte di Marga you reach the hamlet of Combai and the starting point of the route of the Fan Road, a place of historical memory for these magnificent territories; it was not born as a leisurely route, but as a cyclopean feat of subsistence and military strategy. Here is a historical overview of the points that make this itinerary unique in the world.

1. The Engineering of Despair: The 1918 Route

The main point of interest is the road's alignment itself. Built during the Austro-Hungarian occupation following the defeat at Caporetto, the road was intended for transporting cannons and ammunition to the front lines.

• Historical Detail It was made entirely by hand by women, old people and children (the men were at the front). The construction technique involved the use of wedges and mallets to split the limestone rock. Dry stone walls The retaining walls of the hairpin bends are masterpieces of spontaneous engineering: they have stood for over a century without the use of cement, testifying to the skill of the stone masons of Combai who worked under the threat of bayonets in exchange for a bowl of soup.

2. Bosc-Art: The Resurrection of Chestnut Wood

Along the way, you'll find the permanent exhibition Bosc-Art, a project that has transformed the memory of pain into beauty.

• Historical Detail The sculptures are not placed randomly. Many of them celebrate the inseparable bond between man and tree. The chestnut tree has for centuries been the’“Breadfruit tree”. During the year of hunger (1918), when grain was confiscated, the chestnuts of Combai were the only barrier against death by starvation. The works of art we admire today are a tribute to that resilience, carved from the wood of those very trees that fed the village.

3. Military Cottages and “Hearth Fires”

Sparsed along the path are small stone constructions, the “Casere”.

• Historical Detail During the conflict, many of these rural structures were requisitioned and transformed into ammunition dumps or small guard outposts. By observing the cornerstones and the layout of the openings, one can still distinguish the original rural architecture from that modified for wartime logistical purposes. These were the places where soldiers sought shelter from the cold and where locals tried to hide their few remaining resources.

4. Strategic Overviews: Beyond the Landscape

The spots where we stop today to take a photo were, in 1918, Strategic observers.

• Historical Detail From these heights, the Austrian commands could monitor the movements of Italian troops along the Piave line. The view that today gently embraces the UNESCO Hills once served to calculate artillery trajectories. Understanding this radically changes the perception of the landscape: every bend in the road was designed to be invisible from below but dominant over the valley.

Map Useful information at a glance

• 📏 Length 5.2 km (full loop)
• Clock Walking time: 2 hours and 15 minutes (leisurely pace)
• 📈 Elevation difference +320 metres (distributed over a constant military slope)
• Mountain Maximum quota 740 m a.s.l. (viewpoints above the village)
• 🥾 Difficulty: E (Hiking) – Easy/Medium
• 🦯 Nordic Walking: ✅ Excellent! The military road has a compact surface and regular gradients perfect for pushing.
• Family Family-friendly ✅ Yes, an open-air museum perfect for intriguing children with sculptures in the woods

✨ Useful info for your relaxation

• Clothing The path goes through chestnut groves and exposed sections. Wear shoes with good grip and a sun hat for the scenic stretches.
• Bosc-Art Stop Haste is the enemy of art. Stop and observe the details of the wooden sculptures: they are the voice of the forest, telling the story of Combai.
• Water Fountain in Via Cimavilla along the route. Ensure you fill your water bottles at the fountain in Piazza Brunelli in Combai before setting off.

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