hese pages will invite you to consider the idea of following the pilgrims' path along the segment which led from Fidenza to the Cisa Pass; it will be fascinating to go back over ancient tracks (by car, by bus and, why not, by bicycle or on foot) in search of even small reminders that can be reached through silent and virgin landscapes of great beauty. The route of the Via Francigena, in fact, after passing through England and France, crossed the Alps through the Aosta Valley; the main axis then came down to the Apennines crossing them in the Parmesan territory. The Apennine portion was named Mount Bardone route, after the locality of Bardone, important stopover and refreshment centre. It certainly was one of the main and most popular crossing points in the 11th and 12th centuries and it followed old Ligurian and Roman itineraries; besides, it connected the important sanctuaries in southern Italy to the several routes in western Europe. The "Life of the Saints" and the "Chanson de Geste", where the Montbardon stopping place is mentioned, bear witness to its significance.

The Via Francigena main itinerary
Fiorenzuola itinerary variation through Parma