Forni Avoltri – Trails, Lakes and Alpine History

Forni Avoltri combines an alpine landscape with an unusually diverse range of discoveries. Between trails leading to lakes, historic traces, museums and the products of the surrounding alpine pastures, you can shape your stay in many different ways. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home will find a starting point here for active days as well as cultural and culinary experiences.

Lakes, wilderness and trails through the mountains

One notable destination is Lago di Bordaglia in the municipality of Forni Avoltri. The lake is located in the Bordaglia-Flèons Wildlife Oasis, which was established in 1968. Chamois, deer and roe deer are among the animals that live in this area. Lago di Bordaglia lies at the bottom of a hollow formed during the Ice Age, combining a distinctive landform with opportunities for observing nature.

The route to the lake can be explored via various described trail sections. One hike leads from Pierabech via CAI trails 141 and 142 through woodland and across pastures to Lago di Bordaglia. Along the way are streams, quarries, alpine pastures and defensive positions from the First World War. War relics are also still visible along the Ring of Bordaglia. Along the border ridge, you can also find remains of First World War trenches.

The network of trails around Forni Avoltri connects alpine refuges and mountain pastures, allowing for multi-day trekking tours. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between a single hike to a special landscape destination and longer tours. When looking for accommodation, it is advisable to decide early on what you want to focus on during your trip: trails, alpine pastures and lakes require different daily planning than a stay with a stronger focus on culture and cuisine.

Lake Volaia also offers a specific hiking destination. From the Tolazzi Refuge in Collina di Forni Avoltri, it can be reached via CAI trail 144 in approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with a total ascent of 600 metres. The lake is located on the Italian-Austrian border. Take the stated walking time and ascent into account when planning your hiking day.

Culture and history on site

The “Cemout Chi Erin” Ethnographic Centre, housed in the former town hall of Forni Avoltri, presents a collection of materials illustrating various aspects of the life and work of the local communities. The museum complex also includes a geological exhibition featuring the imprint of a tetrapod. This animal was found in Pierabech; the imprint dates from the Lower Triassic, around 250 million years ago.

Another exhibition is dedicated to the First World War. “Forni Avoltri nella Grande Guerra” displays exhibits, reconstructions, photographs and documents relating to the events on the First World War front in this area. Together with the visible trenches and war relics along the trails, it provides an approach to history that can be experienced both through museum visits and through the landscape.

A special tradition is the annual pilgrimage of the parish community of Forni Avoltri to the Madonna Addolorata Sanctuary in Luggau. It takes seven hours on foot and takes place on the last Saturday and Sunday in June. If you schedule your stay for this period, the pilgrimage becomes one of the town’s distinctive cultural and religious experiences. The “Festa dei Frutti di Bosco” in Avoltri, Forni Avoltri, reached its 30th edition in 2022 and took place on 30 and 31 July 2022.

Alpine pastures, river and regional cuisine

The alpine pastures in the surrounding area produce fresh cheese, ricotta and smoked ricotta. Typical Forni Avoltri cuisine also includes cjarsons, crispy frico, game, wild mushrooms, cheese from the alpine pastures and berry-based desserts. This allows you to complement a day of hiking with regional flavours, without every trip having to follow the same pattern.

The Degano reveals another side of the landscape. Its course features basins and weirs, fast-flowing rapids, and sections with gravel and large boulders. Trout can be found along the banks or below the waterfalls. For your daily planning, this means you can alternate between mountain trails, lake destinations, cultural stops and experiences by the water.

Choose the right starting point

When looking for a holiday apartment in Forni Avoltri, you can first decide which experiences should define your stay: multi-day trekking tours and alpine refuges, Lago di Bordaglia and its historic trail landscape, Lake Volaia on the border, or museums and local specialities.

Discover more places

If you would then like to compare more destinations, here are the nearby places: Prepotto, Premariacco, Precenicco, Cividale Del Friuli, Aiello del Friuli, Bagnaria Arsa, Povoletto and Colloredo di Monte Albano.

To the higher-level travel overview: Udine.