Valdieri is a village in the Gesso valley, part of the territory of the Protected Areas of the Maritime Alps, the largest natural park in the Piedmont Region. Its origins probably date back to the late Bronze Age. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but the most accredited hypothesis traces the toponym to the Celtic-Germanic term “wald”, meaning wood. The town is located at the foot of the Rocca San Giovanni - Saben.

A prehistoric archaeological site was found just outside its confines. The excavations led to the recovery of a sepulchral complex dating back to a period that ranges from the Bronze Age to the Middle Iron Age. The prehistoric necropolis can be visited by walking about twenty minutes from the town centre. One of the historic buildings of the town, now home to the tourist office, houses the “Museo della Necropoli”, where the finds brought to light by the excavations are exhibited.

In the upper Valle Gesso, the Terme area is home to the famous natural thermal springs, an establishment built by Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy. The other buildings that testify to the presence of the Royals in the territory notably include Bela Rosin’s house, an elegant Swiss-style chalet, open to stay in, and the hunting house on the Valasco plateau, today a refuge, reachable by a walk of just over an hour. The Giardino Botanico Valderia, in which the main ecosystems of the Maritime Alps are reproduced, is another attraction worth a visit.

Outdoor enthusiasts are spoiled for choice by the countless sports on offer here. These range from walking and cycling, immersed in a breathtaking natural landscape and in contact with ibex chamois, to excursions with overnight stays in the numerous shelters dotted throughout the Park, with peaks reaching 3297 meters in the Argentera complex. Visitors can also go sport fishing in the “Gesso della Regina” reserve or climb at the Andonno rock gym. In winter, the landscape is covered with a white blanket and invites visitors to indulge in many winter sports such as ski mountaineering, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.