Around Torino

Former military roads but also devotional routes, routes of ancient migrations, conquests and smuggling: it is above all the ridge between Alta Val Susa and Val Chisone that preserves memories of battles and remains of fortifications, but also elsewhere among the peaks of the province of Turin you discover sanctuaries, Alpine villages and trade routes among natural environments of rare beauty.

Colle delle Finestre

A former military road built in 1890 to connect Valle Susa and Val Chisone, it is a world-famous cycling route covering 18.7 km, with an elevation gain of 1,692 metres and 33 hairpin bends. To this day it is still a dirt road for the final 8 km. It is possibly to freely circulate on the road, and it opens on a seasonal basis.

 

 

Assietta Road 

Located almost entirely over 2,000 m above sea level, it is the mainstay of the ridge on the watershed between Valle di Susa and Val Chisone, and with its 19th-century access and connection system of roads and mule tracks (including the Strada del Colle Finestre) it is the main tourist attraction for the integrated use of former military roads. 36 km long, it was almost entirely built in the late 1930s. It is famous for the battle of 19 July 1747 between the French of Louis XV and the Savoy army of Charles Emmanuel III to seize the Assietta ridge and Colle delle Finestre. Motor vehicle circulation is regulated.

 

Bardonecchia - Colle del Sommeiller

Located on the Italian-French border, its highest point is at 3,009 metres on the Colle, making it one of the highest in Europe that can be reached by motor vehicles. 26.5 km long, it has a total elevation gain of about 1,700 metres. At an altitude of 1,625 metres, Rochemolles is the ancient alpine village that was troubled by historic avalanches. Transit is regulated on the Scarfiotti dirt road.

 

Strade dei Monti della Luna

The area is outstandingly beautiful and of great geological significance, lying between the Chenaillet Massif in France and the Cresta della Luna on Cesana-Claviere. Between 1930 and 1939, it saw the construction of an extremely high number of Alpine Wall works, for which military roads and mule tracks were built, which are still all practicable. The network is closely connected to the adjacent Val Thuras and originates from a complex of no less than 8 former military roads: the Bousson-Lago Nero-Col Bousson, the S.S. 24 - Grange Sagna Longa - Cresta Rascià, the Sagna Longa-Fonte Tana-Lago Nero, the Rocca Clarì-Sagna Longa, the Fonte Tana-Chabaud, the Ruilles-Chabaud-Colle Begino, the Chabaud-Giaissez, the Bousson-Rouilles, the Rouilles-Ponte Ciatagnera. In the Monti della Luna area alone, the various itineraries add up to a total of about 60 km of natural roads, which can be covered on foot, by MTB and off-road vehicles.

 

 

Strada Fenil - Pramand - Jafferau 

Built from 1890 onwards to connect the Fenil, Pramand, Föens and Jafferau batteries, built to defend the basin of Bardonecchia. The real gem is the spectacular Galleria del Seguret or del Pramand, also known as the " Galleria dei Saraceni" (Saracen Tunnel), a good 876 metres long and dug into the rock in a curve, under the limestone spires of Monte Seguret, in between the two World Wars. It can be covered on foot, by MTB and by regulated off-road vehicles.

 

 

Strada della Valle Argentera

It is the virtually unchanged military road route built in 1910 to reach several fortifications that are still visible. Although the valley had no direct road outlets, it was crossed by salt smugglers. This is a mixed-use road, with paid access for a limited number of motor vehicles during the summer months.

 

 

Colle del Nivolet road

Built in 1931 with the main function of reaching the artificial reservoirs at high altitude, it leads to the heart of the Gran Paradiso National Park.

 

 

Colombardo roads

The route, of a devotional nature, unites Valle di Susa and Valle di Viù: on the watershed you are welcomed by the Sanctuary of the Madonna degli Angeli.

 

 

Old route of Sant'Ignazio

An easy and panoramic walk that allows you to grasp numerous interesting aspects linked to the civil and religious life of the area.

 

 

Chisonetto road

A route that is suitable for easy walks, running or walking training and for strollers and disabled people.

 

 

Cima Bosco road

It is the almost unchanged route of the military road to Sauze di Cesana-Cima del Bosco built in 1910 and which ends just before the summit.

 

 

Champbons - Sapè road 

The road was built to serve Fort Sapè, completed in 1884 and decommissioned in 1928.

 

 

Desertes road

A former military road, already at the end of the 19th century the army began some fortifications there, which were then reinforced with the works of the Vallo Alpino.

 

 

Route to Black Lake 

Once a military road, it has a natural surface but is suitable for vehicles starting from the Bousson hamlet of Cesana and arriving at the small church of Madonna del Lago Nero.

 

 

Laval - Clot de la Soma 

Route, dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, goes up the slopes from the characteristic village of Laval on the orographic right of the Chisone stream.

 

 

Monterotta - Chalmette 

From the Monterotta area to Sestriere, a panoramic route with almost no difference in altitude that reaches the border with the Municipality of Cesana.

 

 

Prariond - Tachier 

The route is known as the "Golden Path" and from Sauze d'Oulx it crosses a fascinating forest, rich in tree and floral species.

 

 

Plaisentif path

The route takes the name of the "violet cheese", a typical summer product of the pastures between the parks of Val Troncea and Orsiera Rocciavrè.

 

 

Sestriere - Col Basset 

Along the ridge that separates the Susa and Chisone valleys, in a splendid panoramic position, the road leads to the crossroads between the cannon road and the road to Assietta.

 

 

Thures - Thuras road

The Thures valley is crossed by a former military road immersed in beautiful panoramas characterized by the geological specificities of the "Mountains born from the sea".

 

 

 Val Troncea - Alpe Mey

Easy itinerary that allows you to enjoy high alpine landscapes and observe wildlife by going up the Chisone stream from an altitude of 1650 to 2050 metres, among mountain pastures, waterfalls and ancient mines.

 

 

Vezzani - Col Basset road 

The destination of the route, a former military road, is today a natural and climatic area inhabited by various types of butterflies, thanks to the presence of particular grasses.

 

 

Romani path 

A path used since prehistoric times by local populations and then by the ancient Romans who reached this part of Val Chisone for commercial purposes.

 

 

Frais - Arguel - Grand Serin road 

Built to fortify the ridge, this road is all that remains of the nineteenth-century military road Meana di Susa-Madonna Della Losa - Serre d'Arnoud - Gran Serin.

 

 

Battery Road of Pian Gelassa - Punta Falliera 

The route was born with military functions. The barracks on Mount Pintas were in fact part of the Vallo Alpino and the Colle delle Finestre-Colle Assietta system.

 

 

Chiomonte - Valeis Frais road 

Unpaved tourist road, connecting to the main MTB routes on the slope.

 

 

Chiomonte - Clot Paquet - Frais road 

Mainly agro-forestry-pastoral track built to serve the numerous villages, it has significant tourist and hiking interest.

 

 

Rocca Cut Road - Bramafam Fort 

The road was built in 1890 to serve the Bramafam Fort, the most important fortification in the Cottian Alps of the late nineteenth century.

 

 

San Colombano Road - Grange della Valle - Levi Molinari Refuge 

Among ancient Alpine villages, the charm of a landscape dominated by splendid peaks and rich in wildlife.

 

 

Bastia Gravere street 

It includes a former military stretch that was part of the Vallo Alpino works. From the valley floor it reaches the main MTB routes on the side.

 

 

Salbertrand - Sarzaret - Monfol road 

Forestry track that starts from the headquarters of the Gran Bosco Park reaching the Monfol village on the military road that reaches Assietta.