GIRO PIEMONTESE GRANDE
Variazone della GTA in bici

Alpi Piemontesi – Alpes Maritimes – Alpi Ligure – Langhe – Alto Monferrato/Appennino Ligure

11.6.-17.7.2016 (37 days)
2425 km
47535 Hm (ascent altitude in m)
Average dates: 66 km/d | 1285 Hm/d | 1960 Hm/100 km


Mountain paradise – ice paradise – beach paradise – hiking paradise – biking paradise … – Gran Paradiso!

General Remarks

For some of my English spoken friends I‘ll present my cycling tour 2016 by an assembly of photo galleries, each corresponding to a closer region. The tour inspired me to a big story, some kind of mixture between fictional writing and report from touring events and natural descriptions as well. The wider sense of story is embedded in a historical background of the Waldensian and a historical figure of them. The Waldensian had been a religious group, living after persecution out of France territory (Lyon, even more southward like Luberon area) in some valleys of Occitan Alps (part of Piedmont Alps) like Val Chisone and others. During further persecution through Savoy rulers a part of Waldensian emigrated for example to parts of Germany like Württemberg at the end of 17th century. So there is a close a connection of former Waldensian in Stuttgart/Pforzheim region (my home area) to people in the Waldensian valleys in Piedmont. Even the names of villages remained in the foreign country of immigration like Pinache <-> Pinasca, quite similar still today.

I worked out a story, intending to make a book of this, but still not published. Besause of that, the story isn’t published in this International Bicycle Travel Forum – even not in the German section. The German version is covering some more datas, some important or fine adresses of restaurants, accomodations, museums, bicycle shops, a tribute to singer/musician Gianmaria Testa etc. If interested, take a look here: important adresses (German).



Another chapter makes recommendations of books from different kind of category like fiction/novel (Cesare Pavese, Davide Longhe, Sebastiano Vassalli), travel guides (i.e. a special one for GTA), specialist book about the Alps (Werner Bätzing, social geographer), some aspects of visited places (alternative living concepts of the Monte Verità). Known as a famous children book, „Pinocchio“ is on the agenda, too, because it inspired me deeply to my story. (First coloured illustrations of „Toscanian“ Pinocchio had done by Attilio Mussino, living in Piedmont and today painted on the houses of Vernante (route Cúneo – Col de Tende).) If interested, please take a look into the book recommendations (German). Searching for maps, take a look to Maps Piedmont, Liguria.

For understanding the typical bow of the Piedmont Alps and my route, please take a look on several maps: Piedmont, with geographical names, topographic structure, fixed photo of GPSies track. For understanding my route, you should mention my subtitle „Variazione in GTA in bici“, too. What does that mean?



GTA = Grande Traversata delle Alpi, an important hiking trail from Switzerland through Piedmont Alps (main mountain ridge), finally covering Ligurian Alps and matching Mediterranean Sea at Ventimiglia (GTA on map). You get guarantee of way signs and accomodations in usual distances. In the wider sense the trail should combine alpine landscape, flowers and animals with regional service and products from local people, not just by visiting hiking huts, even further more by visiting villages in the upper valleys, too. The problem: You can’t ride this route on bicycle, even not with a mountain bike (just parts of it). My idea was to strengthen the wider sense by combining points of GTA in the upper valleys at the end of the roads. For that you have to ride a lot of the valleys upwards, but ride back the same way again. So getting the crazy structure of my route.

Of course, most of the roads are of asphalt type, some of them with very strong gradient, not much less than in the Eastern Alps. But I still added some of the most important military roads of the Alps with offroad character. They are known as LGKS and MSKS (German abbreviations), rigde mountain roads of Ligurian borderline and the Máira-Stura ridge. There is another one, called VMKS, which follows the ridge between Varáita and Máira valleys, but I didn’t get it, because of a serious accident and bad weather. Most oft he parts turned out rideable, but not all parts. You should know, too, that parts of the LGKS has been improved since a few years, and toll traffic by motorcyclists has increased a little bit. On MSKS main part, traffic of motor vehicles is forbidden at weekend.



Instead finishing at the Mediterranean Sea, I took more mountain and hill regions of Piedmont, known as Langhe and Alto Monferrato, with finishing day in the very east of Piedmont. Now knowing the structure, you can take a zooming look on GPSies track „Giro Piemontese Grande“. While Langhe is well known as world famous wine region (not to forget truffles and hazelnuts), Alto Monferrato is very unkown as an international touristic region.

Next you’ll find 10 chapters, each with tour datas and a photo gallery at the end. For looking to the photos, please click on the inviting photo of each gallery. If using single modus for each photo in the gallery, you can maximize photos to original size of 1,5 MegaPixel (1500 pixel in horizon, if format is 3:2). Please enjoy The Piedmont Alps & Apennines.

continued at once

P-1 Old toll routes, roaring waterfalls, riviera of palms and blossoms, anarchic nudist dancers, visional people, revolutionary groups, distinguished cruisers: Lepontian Alps/Alpi Ticino

Fri 10.6. Stuttgart ca. 18:30 h || Zürich || Bellinzona || 0:27 h (Sat) Locarno (travelling by train) - Losone

Sat 11.6. (Locarno –) Losone – Via Monte Verità – Via Madonna Gottardo – Via Barcone – Brissago – Cannobio – Piano di Sale – Passo Scopello (965 m) – Malesco – Santa Maria Maggiore – Oresco – Masera – Crevoladossola – Crodo – Baceno
94 km | 1900 Hm | 11,8 km/h | 2021 Hm/100 km

Sun 12.6. Baceno – Piedilago – Foppiano – via alte Straße (!) – Fondovalle – Formazza-Ponte – Cascata di Toce (Wasser volles Rohr: So 10-16 h) – Riale – Lago di Morasco (1820 m)/Umrundung via Piste (auch Schmelzwasserfurten) – Riale – Formazza-Ponte – Fondovalle – via Tunnel – Foppiano – Piedilago – Baceno – Góglio
76 km | 1895 Hm | 11,1 km/h | 2493 Hm/100 km

Mon 13.6. Góglio – Alpe Dévero – Crampiolo (1767 m) – (Lago di Dévero (1856 m)/per Wanderung, gepflasterte Piste zu steil) – Crampiolo – Alpe Dévero – Baceno – Braccio – Orridi di Urizza/Ponte Romano – Braccio – Domodossola
56 km | 955 Hm | 10,1 km/h | 1705 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-1 (99 photos):




P-2 Rainy days, always in clouds - the Monte Rosa: The Vallais Alps & vital Biellese

Tue 14.6. Domodossola (Start ca. 10:40 h) – Villadossola – Viganella – Antronapiana – Alpe Chéggio/Lago Alpe Cavalli (1500 m) – Antronapiana – Antronalago/Lago di Antrona – Lago di Campliccioli (1360 m) – Antronalago – Antronapiana – Viganella
67 km | 1810 Hm | 10,6 km/h | 2701 Hm/100 km

Wed 15.6. Viganella – Villadossola – Piedimulera – Pontegrande – Macugnaga – Pecerro (1327 m) – Macugnaga – Pontegrande – Piedimulera – Ornavasso – Mergozzo/Lago di Mergozzo
97 km | 1365 Hm | 14,2 km/h | 1407 Hm/100 km

Thu 16.6. Mergozzo (Start ca. mittags) – Omegna – Orta – Gozzano – Pogno – Valico Cremosina (599 m) – Borgosésia
48 km | 470 Hm | 14,7 km/h | 979 Hm/100 km

Fri 17.6. Borgosésia – Crevacuore – Sostegno – Roasio – Masserano – Strona – Valle Mosso – Bioglio Banchette (675 m) – Pettinengo – Biella – Mongrando – Borsano – Sala Biellese (626 m) – Torazzo
83 km | 1310 Hm | 13,1 km/h | 1578 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-2 (100 photos):




P-3 Alpine biking meets Alpine beach meets Alpine ice in paradise: Nobile hunting areas in the Canavese of the Graian Alps

Sat 18.6. Torazzo – Bollengo – Ivrea – Lessolo – Alice Superiore – Traversella – Valchiusella/Fondo (1074 m) – Traversella – Brosso – Lago di Meugliano – Alice Superiore/Campeggio Valchiusella
75 km | 1150 Hm | 12,9 km/h | 1533 Hm/100 km

Sun 19.6. Alice Superiore – Vistrório – Catelnuovo Nigra (828 m) – Cintano – Navetta – Pont Canavese – Ronco Canavese – Forzo (1178 m) – Ronco Canavese – Valprato – Piamprato (1550 m)
63 km | 1900 Hm | 9,7 km/h | 3016 Hm/100 km

Mon 20.6. Piamprato – Grande Prariond (1643 m)/per Piste – Piamprato – Valprato – Ronco Canavese – Pont Canavese – Locana – Rosone – Noasca
52 km | 710 Hm | 14,7 km/h | 1365 Hm/100 km

Tue 21.6. Noasca – via alte Straße (!) – Ceresole Reale – Lago Serru – Colle del Nivolet (2612 m) – Lago Serru – Ceresole Reale
50 km | 1695 Hm | 8,9 km/h | 3390 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-3 (109 photos):




P-4 Aristocratic alpinism in dead ends of georgeous beauty: Valli di Lanzi of the Graian Alps

Wed 22.6. Ceresole Reale – via Tunnel – Noasca – Locana – Pont Canavese – Cuorgnè – Front – Ciriè – Lanzo Torinese – Germagnano – Ceres – Brachiello
105 km | 830 Hm | 16,4 km/h | 790 Hm/100 km

Thu 23.6. Brachiello – Ala di Stura – Balme – Pian della Mussa (1850 m) – Balme – Ala di Stura – Ceres – (Germagnano) – Viù – Lémie – Usséglio
82 km | 1865 Hm | 11,6 km/h | 2274 Hm/100 km

Fri 24.6. Usséglio – Lago Malciaussià (1812 m) – Usséglio – Lémie – Viù – Col San Giovanni (1118 m) – Colle del Lys (1311 m) – Almese – Avigliana
74 km | 1255 Hm | 13,1 km/h | 1696 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-4 (87 photos):




P-5 Swabian heritage, devils jazz music & a forbidden book: The landmark of Piedmont & the Waldensian valleys in the Cottian Alps

Sat 25.6. Avigliana – Meana – San Ambrógio – Sacra San Michele – Colle Bráida (1007 m) – Giaveno – Cappella della Colletta (621 m) – Cumiana – Pinerolo – San Pietro/Val Lémina – Colle Pra Martino (916 m) – Villar Perosa – Pinasca (Pistache) – Perosa Argentina – Pomaretto
70 km | 1650 Hm | 10,6 km/h | 2357 Hm/100 km

Sun 26.6. Pomaretto – Perrero – Salza di Pinerolo – Colletto di Fontane (1573 m)/per Piste – Fontane – Prali Ghigo – Ribba (1550 m) – Prali Ghigo – Perrero – Pomaretto – Inverso Pinasca – San Germano Chisone
67 km | 1330 Hm | 11,0 km/h | 1985 Hm/100 km

Mon 27.6. San Germano – Colle della Vaccera (1461 m) – Torre Péllice – Villar Pelice – Rifugio Barbara Lowrie (1753 m)
48 km | 2155 Hm | 7,5 km/h | 4490 Hm/100 km

Tue 28.6. Rifugio Barbara Lowrie – Torre Péllice – Luserna – Bibiana – Bagnolo – Barge – La Colletta (613 m) – Paesana – Calcinere – Paesana – Ghisola (+)
56 km | 670 Hm | 12,7 km/h | 1196 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-5 (78 photos):




P-6 Fall to death & 100 „Ave Maria‘s“ for the cycling devil: Lonesome roads and pain in the Occitan valleys of the Cottian Alps featuring Monviso, source of Po & MSKS

Wed 29.6. Ghisola – Crissolo – Pian de Re (2020 m) – Crissolo – Paesana – Sanfrònt – Martinana – Stazzaro – Castellar – Pagno – Colle d'Isasca (770 m) – Brossasco – Venasca – Brossasco
83 km | 1875 Hm | 11,1 km/h | 2259 Hm/100 km

Thu 30.6. Brossasco – Valmala – Sanctuaria di Valmala – Colle di Palmascura (1614 m)/VMKS – Passo Pian Pietro (1354 m) – Lemma – Rossana – Colletto di Rossana (617 m) – Busca
42 km | 550 Hm | 9,2 km/h | 1310 Hm/100 km

Fri 1.7. Busca – Dronero – San Damiano Macra – Stroppo – Ponte Mármora – Prazzo – Accéglio – Chiappera (1614 m)
57 km | 1195 Hm | 9,5 km/h | 2096 Hm/100 km

Sat 2.7. Chiappera/kurzer Abstecher per Piste ab Camping – Accéglio – Ponte Mármora – Mármora
27 km | 340 Hm | 12,4 km/h | 1259 Hm/100 km

Sun 3.7. Mármora – Preit – Colle del Preit (2083 m) – via MSKS/Piste – Rifugio della Gardetta (2335 m) – via MSKS/Piste – Colle Cologna (2394 m) – Colle Margherina (2420 m) – Colle Bandia (2408 m) – Colle di Valcavera (2416 m)/Ende MSKS/Piste – Demonte – Madonna di Colletto (1304 m) – Valdieri – Entrácque
77 km | 2075 Hm | 9,3 km/h | 2695 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-6 (95 photos):




P-7 Shaking stones, but flowers, too. Smoothing green mountains, but traces of the wolf, too: From natural parc Alpi Marittime to the LKGS in the Alpes Marittimes with eastern national parc Mercantour

Mon 4.7. Entrácque – (Gorge della Reina/Wanderung) – Lago di Rovina – Galeria Rifugio Génova (~1700 m, galeria chiuso) – Lago di Rovina – Entrácque
32 km | 1000 Hm | 8,9 km/h | 3125 Hm/100 km

Tue 5.7. Entrácque – Valdieri – Roccavione – Vernante – Limone Piemonte
36 km | 420 Hm | 12,4 km/h | 1167 Hm/100 km

Wed 6.7. Limone Piemonte – dev. LGKS/Col de Tende (~ 1800 m)/Piste – Colletto Campanino (2142 m) – Colle di Perla (2086 m) – Colle di Boaria (2102 m) – Colle Mallaberghe (2225 m) – Col des Seigneurs (2111 m) – Rifugio Dan Barbera
31 km | 1420 Hm | 6,6 km/h | 4581 Hm/100 km

Thu 7.7. Rifugio Dan Barbera – weiter per LGKS/Piste – Colle del Vecchie (2098 m) – Passo di Tanarello (2045 m) – Passo Collardente (1599 m) – Colla di Sanson (1694 m) – Col du Loup (1636 m) – Col Linaire (1432 m) – Notre Dame des Fontaines/Vallon de la Madone/Ende LGKS/Piste – exc. Vallon de Morignole – La Brigue – San Dalmas de Tende – Tende
59 km | 735 Hm | 8,8 km/h | 1246 Hm/100 km

Fri 8.7. Tende – Côte des Spegi/Chemin de Valaura – per LGKS/Piste – Baisse d'Ourne (2040 m) – Baisse de Peirefique/Peyrafique (2028 m)/Ende LGKS/Piste – Parkplatz Vallon de Vamasque – Casterino – San Dalmas de Tende – Fontan – Saorge – Breil sur Roya
62 km | 1485 Hm | 8,6 km/h | 2395 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-7 (122 photos):




P-8 Witches, magic places, deep dug creeks, sublime villages looking to heaven, rattling alleys, smelling olives: The Ligurian Alps betweeen Mediterranean flair and high mountain feeling

Sat 9.7. Breil-s-Roya – Pas de l’Arme (228 m) – Fanghetto – Airole – via strada del Roia – Trucco – Passo dei Verrandi/Passo della Colla (430 m) – Ponte Raggio – Molinetto/Ponte Barbaira – Isolabona – Apricale
43 km | 680 Hm | 11,5 km/h | 1581 Hm/100 km

Sun 10.7. Apricale – Baiardo – Passo Ghimbegna (898 m) – Colle Bossera (993 m) – Badalucco – Montalto Ligure – Valle Argentina (SS 548) – Ponte della Ferriera – Andagna – Colle di Drego (1080 m) – Passo di Téglia (1387 m) – Ponte del Passi – Rezzo
80 km | 2130 Hm | 9,5 km/h | 2663 Hm/100 km

Mon 11.7. Rezzo – Pieve di Teco – Pornassio – Mendàtica – Colle di San Bernardo di Mendàtica (1263 m) – Monesi di Triora (1386 m) – Passo della Colletta/Colletta Salse (1627 m) – Úpega – Passo Fascette (1250 m) – Viozene – Ponte di Nava
65 km | 1730 Hm | 9,9 km/h | 2662 Hm/100 km

Tue 12.7. Ponte di Nava – Passo di Prale (1258m) – Colle Capràuna (1397 m) – Alto – Martinetto – Zuccarello – Erli – Colle San Bernardo (957m) – Garéssio – Priola – Nucetto – Nucetto-Vila
91 km | 1735 Hm | 11,5 km/h | 1907 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-8 (118 photos):




P-9 Under the sign of a snail – gusti deliziosi, per favore: The Langhe in the delicious light of wine, truffles, variations of hazelnuts and „Il Cantore“ (Gianmaria Testa)

Wed 13.7. Nucetto-Vila – Nucetto – Ceva – bivio Murazzano – Passo della Bossola (712 m) – Bossolasco – Dogliani – Monforte d'Alba – Barolo – Vergne
72 km | 1070 Hm | 11,6 km/h | 1486 Hm/100 km

Thu 14.7. Vergne – La Morra – Ceretto/Cappella di Sol LeWitt e David Tremlett – Barolo – Gallo d'Alba – Grinzane Cavour – Diano d'Alba – Alba – Barbaresco – Néive – Mango
70 km | 1390 Hm | 10,9 km/h | 1986 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-9 (111 photos):




P-10 Roman roads, country of castles, Mediterranean woods, refreshing bathing pools, strange stone creations: Dicovering the Alto Monferrato with the Appennino Piemontese of southeast Piedmont

Fri 15.7. Mango – Dornere – Camo – Santo Stéfano Belbo – Canelli – Cassinasco – Búbbio – Monastero Bórmida – Bistagno – Ácqui Terme – Visone Colle Pian dell'Elmo/Cremolino (405 m) – Molare – Ovada – Tagliolo Monferrato
78 km | 875 Hm | 12,7 km/h | 1122 Hm/100 km

Sat 16.7. Tagliolo Monferrato – Belforte Monferrato – Rossiglione – Campo Ligure – Capanne di Marcarolo (835 m) – Ponte Nespolo/Fiume Gorzente – Colle degli Eremiti (559 m) – Voltaggio – Gavi – Francavilla Bisio – Novi Ligure – Serravalle Scrívia – Vignole di Borbera
88 km | 1170 Hm | 11,8 km/h | 1330 Hm/100 km

Sun 17.7. Vignole di Borbera – Borghetto di Borbera – Rocchetta Ligure – Albera – Vendersi – Pallavicino (701 m) – Montacuto – San Sebastiano di Curone – Brignano – Giarella – Viguzzolo – Tortona 18:50 h || 21:28 Bologna 23:45 h || 6:33 h (Mon) München 6:46 h || 9:07 h Stuttgart (travelling back by train)
69 km | 745 Hm | 12,7 km/h | 1080 Hm/100 km

Photo gallery P-10 (95 photos):

Dear Matthias,

Should I now read your travel report for the 2nd time? For all those who have not been able to read the German version - it's worth having a closer look to this tour.

Dear Arnulf,
that's the destiny of a moderator! But I think, the finishing line is closer than in the German version. Even you should be glad that I can't write in Spanish - you know there is a Spanish section, too. Maybe I take some Spanish lessons next year.

... just use Google Translator - I would then try to translate it back into German, also using Google Translator. Then, we both would have something to laugh .

Hi Matthias, the tale of your trip, extremely appealing as usual, made me curious and definitely interested in this cross the Alps adventure. Except for just a few occasional trips I don't know the region at all ... so for me it's a good occasion for reading thoroughly the entire story and learn at the same time some historical background of the Waldesian people.
At this point I'll be waiting also for your book .... hopefully available in English too I guess !!!
Ciao, Gruß