Detour #347: Life is Sweet on this Alpine Salt Road, Italy-France
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ThE Alta Via Del Sale isn’t for the fainthearted, but the payoff is worth it.
High in the Ligurian Alps this ancient trade route remains much as it has for centuries. The unpaved road hugs the mountainside as it follows the border ridge between Italy and France, barely a car wide, with next-to-nothing in the way of barrier to prevent a precipitous death.
Sitting at above 1,800 meters, and climbing as high as 2,100m, the Alta via del Sale is wisely closed in the winter months when snow and ice would make it even more perilous. From June 21 until the end of September, however, it’s open to all-comers – in cars, on motorcycles, mountain bikes and on foot. Thankfully not at the same time, with Tuesdays and Thursdays closed to anything with an engine.
To keep numbers manageable drivers and riders need to buy a €20 ticket, and while you don’t necessarily need four-wheel drive or knobbly tyres, they would add a little extra assurance on the loose gravel surface. Not that it’s some kind of rally stage, mind. The reality is that you’ll be pottering along, keeping a keen eye on the edge, and another on the wall of rock as you thread the needle between the two. There’s no room for error. There’s not much room for passing, either, so be prepared to reverse quite a distance to find a spot that’s wide enough for two.
If this sounds stressful, what makes it all worthwhile is the utterly stunning scenery you encounter as you traverse the ridge towards the French border. The clear mountain air helps get your breath back after the vistas have taken it away.
There’s a number of different itineraries to explore, as listed on the Alta Via del Sale website, and you can even take an overnight stay in a mountain hut. When the gravel ends the adventure is far from over, as the route onwards and downwards towards the Mediterranean coast is strewn with switchbacks until you join the SP64 that takes you into Ventimiglia.
ROADBOOK
CLASS: Mountain Pass
NAME: Alta Via del Sale
ROUTE: Limone to Ventimiglia
COUNTRY: Italy / France
Distance: 42 Miles
The Alta Via Del Sale isn’t for the fainthearted, but the payoff is worth it.