In 1475 the realization of the "Buco di Viso" (Hole in the Face) started, today it is a great cultural tourist attraction on the border between Piemonte (Piedmont), and the Cuneese area, and France, but in the times of Ludovico II Marchese (Marquis) of Saluzzo it represented the valleys’ outlet to the sea found South of Piemonte (Piedmont) and facilitated the sale of the white gold, salt.
It opened up a new way of trading that would have lived over the centuries, despite the countless closings and re-openings because of the landslides and mudslides: the famous "Via del Sale" was born. A tunnel, over 75 m long and 2 m high, was built to allow a smoother passage to the caravans. Around the 1900s trading with France considerably decreased and maintenance of the tunnel experienced periods of abandonment until the year 2014; then works of restoration began on the French side bringing it back to its past splendor. Today one can walk through the tunnel during the summer and when there are mild weather conditions.
