Fossils

The sediments that characterise the landscape of the Visone and Caramagna valleys were formed over the course of the “geological eras”, between about 33 and 2.5 million years ago, in environments very different from today's.

Besides the quarries in the Visone area, there are many sites of geological and cultural interest in the Visone and Caramagna valleys:

• Case Gazzo / Ponte Torrente Visone: a fossil site bearing witness to the ancient presence of the sea, through corals, bivalves and foraminifera.
• Il Fontanino di Grognardo: a thermal spring, a tourist destination since the early twentieth century.
• Morbello, Case Cherpione: a site known for the discovery of numerous perfectly preserved fossil crabs, on display at the “G. Maini” Palaeontological Museum in Ovada.
• Morbello, loc. Pianfolco: finds of numerous fossil plant remains, especially leaves, dating back more than 30,000,000 years, representative of a marshy-lacustrine environment and a temperate-humid climate.
• La Tana di Morbello: the largest cave in the province of Alessandria, 350 m long. For visits: contact the CAI of Acqui Terme.
• Loc. Vallosi, towards Cassinelle: badlands.
• Cassinelle: rock crests where fossil remains such as shells and foraminifera of the genus Nummulites.

Download the Map of the sites.