I was born in Rome in 1979, Sardinian by adoption from the age of 4. I organize events connected with the motorsport sector and I’m a big fan of all-terrain trips in Sardinia, Tuscany, Corsica and wherever my motorbike or the 4x4 takes me. With Valentina, who’s been my partner for 4 years, we try every type of trip and often blend the business of our scouting to propose new locations for customers with the pleasure of an unconventional vacation.
It’s unusual for a pair of lovers to choose to leave the turquoise sea of the Costa Smeralda, right on the public holiday of Ferragosto, for the high mountains of the Western Alps, but that’s what the two of us decided to do – Alessandro and Valentina!
‘Tired’ of our beautiful Sardinia, a little too crowded in August, understandably, we planned a substantial 1600 km motorcycle tour in Piedmont, passing through Liguria, riding the fantastic Ducati DesertX.
I’m already an expert organizer of off- and on-road motorcycle tours in Sardinia and Tuscany, so I carefully prepared all the tracks of the most interesting routes to ride, including the most beautiful and significant off-road sections. Dedicating the right time to the stretches between technical and other travel sections was a painstaking task, bearing in mind the distances required to reach the most characteristic locations to stay overnight.
We paid great attention to preparing luggage, not forgetting the variable weather conditions you can encounter in the high mountains. We set off with appropriate suits, with all the protectors and suited to the temperatures expected.
For our motorcycle tour on the Alps in Piedmont we chose:
As soon as we disembark at the port of Genoa, we head as quickly as possible to Taggia (136 km) and from there we take the beautiful SP 548, which crosses a narrow valley alongside continuous streams to Triora, the village of Witches (30 km). The dirt road finally begins here, narrow and winding at times and very rocky, toward the Passo della Guardia. Then, after the wonderful and almost unknown Colle Ardente Tunnel, we arrive at the Pass of the same name and cross into France! From here we continue to Monte Saccarello and reach the Passo del Tanarello. The road up to this point is almost all halfway up the hillside surrounded by wonderful woods, but the ride is for experienced people given the multitude of climbs with rough stones and paved with natural stone.
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From the downhill hairpin bends of the Passo del Tanarello, we reenter Italy and can finally admire the classic open panoramas typical of Alpine landscapes. After a few kilometers we arrive at the Entry Point to begin our motorcycle tour along the Via del Sale (Upega junction), show the Briga.info Association ticket paid for transit and enter the Marguareis Natural Park. From here it’s a succession of colors, red rocks, lilac flowers and forest scents up to Colle Selle Vecchie, which opens into a stretch of road that runs along an entire mountain to the Passo di Framargal and the Rifugio Don Barbera, ideal for a lunch stop now that it’s 1:30 p.m.
After lunch, the Via del Sale really gets going with a succession of roads hewn out of the rock – Col del Malabergue, Colle delle Carsene, up to the peak of beauty through the famous Colle della Boaria, with its hairpin over a projecting roadbed that becomes a genuine fork. The road continues between cobbles and other well-beaten sections until Stazione 2000, including the entry/exit point for the Via del Sale (Limone side). From here, a quick visit to the Col di Tenda is a must, before heading to Limone Piemonte for the evening.
The second day begins immediately with the magnificent Oronaye Valley, which leads from Borgo San Dalmazzo to the beautiful Colle de La Maddalena, the state border with France – a panoramic road that always runs along the Ulbayette river in a succession of breathtaking views. Once at La Condamine-Châtelard, you have to leave the valley to head towards Les Preas, where the dirt road to Col du Parpaillon begins. This very rough road enters a dreamlike, painted valley surrounded by peaks and mountains of barren rock; it starts to climb very quickly, becoming pretty technical, to ride with painstaking care, but arriving at the Parpaillon Tunnel at 2645 meters repays the effort!
Once you’ve crossed the 500 meters of tunnel dug into the rock, absolutely full of puddles, some of which are icy, you come out in the Embrun valley, characterized by broad pastures and a much gentler descent to Crévoux.
The afternoon is dedicated to returning to Italy, but not before tackling the famous Col d’Izoard. The valley that precedes it from Guillestre to Arvieux is a gorge with a road carved into the rock running at times alongside the impetuous Guil river. The arrival at the Col d’Izoard leaves you breathless – a road full of hairpin bends with ominous scree slopes looming over it, so that even the most daring motorcycle riders slow down. After the hill we proceed quickly to Briançon to head towards the Montgenèvre pass, which takes us to our destination for the next few days, Sauze D’Oulx.
Our third day is characterized by an itinerary that’s among the most popular subjects of the dreams and desires of European off-road riders – the Val Susa ring by motorbike. It lets you pass through the best dirt roads in Europe, the Colle delle Finestre, the Strada dell’Assietta and the road to Monte Jafferau with the Monte Seguret (or Saraceni) Tunnel.
For reasons related to the view, we prefer to take the ring clockwise; we set off at 9 in the morning and immediately take the dirt road from Olux into the forest as far as Chateau, and from there the state road to Bardonecchia. From here you continue to the hamlet of Gleise where the dirt road begins halfway up the woods on the hillside as far as Fort Foens.
We arrive at the junction for Fort Jaffreau, a military construction built 2775 meters above sea level at the end of the 19th century to defend the Italian border, and we take it without delay. The climb is doable even for beginners; only the final straights have a cobblestone base, which is sturdy, in any case. Arriving at the fort involves a final, slightly more technical stretch, but it’s also possible to cover it on foot, like my partner Vale did. Obviously, I couldn’t resist and parked my bike directly overlooking the fort, which will allow you to enjoy a 360-degree view of the most beautiful mountains in Italy and the Rochemolles Valley.
Three-layer waterproof adventure touring jacket. Optimized for four-season use. Level 2 Pro Armor soft protectors on shoulders and elbows.
The Val Susa dirt road for motorbikes is a real gem for maxi enduro lovers. Breathtaking views, historic roadways and monuments of historical importance like forts, some perfectly preserved, and artillery batteries. If you’re looking for ideas for motorcycle tours in Piedmont, this is highly recommended.
The long route back will take you to the greatly sought-after Saraceni Tunnel (Monte Seguret), as staggering as it is feared due to the water-filled holes and the constant rain from the ceiling; what’s more, you can never see the end of it due to the curve. You’re sure to enjoy coming out also because of other little natural tunnels.
This takes you to the Forte di Pramand and the hamlets of Moncellier, but those who want to carry on can reach the picturesque villages of Eclause and San Colombano, before heading back to the state road to reach Meana di Susa.
From Meana we take the thousand sharp hairpins to Colle delle Finestre leading to Pian dell’Alpe, where it’s pleasant to take a break for refreshments before tackling the Strada dell’Assietta. This is a genuine pinnacle for off-road lovers. It winds at high altitudes throughout with large – but never dangerous – overhangs on the sides, unique views and sections flanked by real walls of rock. Once at Colle Basset, you can choose whether to continue down to Sestriere or, like we did, turn north to Sauze D'Oulx and cross the fantastic ski slopes to the town.
Choosing a helmet isn’t something you can take for granted, especially when you’re starting out. Here’s a complete guide on how to choose your ideal helmet.
The fourth day means a partial rest – road stretches only, no off-road, so we head towards Lac du Mont-Cenis and the pass of the same name, entering France again and the beautiful Val Cenis to take on the Col de Telegraphe. Next, one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the Alps, the Col du Galibier, a marvel because the road always runs high on the plateau with a succession of wonderful valleys in the background. You arrive directly in Briançon to cross the famous Montgenèvre ski resort and return to Italy.
Today, the fifth day, is the ‘Marathon Stage’ to see the famous Verdon Gorges and cross the road that runs along it. An early start, and we head from Sauze D’Oulx to Savin le Lac. From there, instead of taking the highway to Moustiere Saint Maire, we prefer to stick alongside the Lac de Serre-Ponçon. We maintain our altitude heading for Digne-les-Bains and it’s worth it, both because of the complete absence of traffic and because of the rural landscape that we encounter, with the famous lavender fields (even if they’ve already been cut!), inviting us to stop at small local artisan shops to buy oil and other products.
Once in Moustiere Saint Maire, the real Verdon road begins as far as Palud-sur-Verdon. Here I recommend taking the Rue de Cretes ring, which allows you to admire the overhangs and the many overlooks even better, with the eagles passing like little gliders over our heads.
You keep on to Castellan and here the Verdon road becomes even more interesting; there’s a great succession of stretches dug into the ‘solid’ rock! We make a stop in one of the many riverside areas to cool off, given the 34 °C. From Castellan we continue along the entire road that follows the Verdon river to its source in Allos, crossing beautiful valleys and then crossing the dreaded Col d’Allos. If on one side the road crosses placid wheat fields at high altitude in a series of hairpin bends, beyond the hill it crosses a very narrow gorge with a road that will make even the most daring climbers tremble. From there we reach the picturesque village of Barcelonnette, where we spend the night after a stretch of no fewer than 400 km.
“Last but not least”, as they say, because today, the sixth and final day headed home, is perhaps the most beautiful and captivating occasion. Starting from Barcelonnette, we immediately take the road to the Col de la Bonette: It’s the most extraordinary pass I’ve ever crossed in my life – besides being the highest in Europe, for me it’s unique because it unfolds among green plateaus alternating between grassy valleys and scree. The road isn’t remotely dangerous, very pleasant in terms of progression and landscape. Once at the top, a lunar environment awaits us, with the last circle around the crown all black and barren with a 360° view of the surrounding mountains.
The descent to Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée is as wonderful as the climb. We continue to Isola and then to the last hill of the vacation, the Col de La Lombarde leading from Isola 2000 to Sant’Anna di Vinadio. This pass is beautiful too, where the Italian border is crossed again.
For off-road lovers, once you get to the pass, I recommend going down the simple dirt road to the Sant’Anna junction, a beautiful valley that leads to the Malga Oglias and back to the asphalt. We took a detour to the wonderful Sanctuary of Sant’Anna in Vinadio, and the church is covered with representations of graces requested from St Anne; it’s moving to admire and read these pictures and invocations.
After lunch, the long journey back to Liguria, just in time for a nice cooling bathe in Varazze. Now we are ready for our return to Sardinia after the 1600 kilometers traveled in just 6 days of motorcycle touring through Piedmont.
