The full route you will tackle is about 75 km long, with an elevation gain of about 950 metres. It is an itinerary that starts and ends at the same point, crossing one of the most beautiful and evocative hills in the province of Cuneo and joining Valle Gesso and Valle Stura. A high mountain road where your hard work and sweat are rewarded by the pristine beauty of the landscapes and the wealth of nature that you can admire.

The route starts from Cuneo, in Piazza Galimberti; take the city cycle path in Corso Nizza and exit the city centre, proceeding until the intersection with Corso Giolitti, then turn right and continue until you reach Via Bassignano and follow the cycle path until it ends, in the direction of the hamlet of San Rocco Castagnaretta. Take Via del Mulino then ride along Via Undici Settembre and Via Candela, reaching the town of Borgo San Dalmazzousing secondary roads, an important crossroads for the hills of Tenda and Maddalena. Once you’ve passed the city, take the SP21 provincial road that crosses Andonno until you reach the town of Valdieri. From here, take via Garibaldi and then continue slightly downhill on via Santa Croce. This way you will again come across the provincial road which you can follow up to Sant’Anna di Valdieri. Here a short detour towards the centre of this small alpine village will give you a chance to make a short stop for refreshments, and pay a visit to the ecomuseum and the ancient roofs covered with rye straw, an ancient form of farming from which the mountain people made their living. 

The road continues uphill towards the famous town of Terme di Valdieri reaching the small village rich in history and naturalistic charm. And in fact, you’ll be welcomed by the majesty of the royal bathhouses commissioned by His Majesty Vittorio Emanuele II in 1857 and the two Swiss-style chalets, the “Valderia” botanical garden and the numerous naturalistic itineraries that draw hikers and enthusiasts from afar.

The return involves taking the provincial road to Andonno, and then continuing on the provincial road that reaches and crosses Roccavione. From Roccavione, follow the signs for Borgo San Dalmazzo until the Alpi del Mare roundabout: here make a sharp right turn and take via Italcementi and then Via Rocchiuse. Continue to the intersection with via Don Minzoni, turn left and follow the road until you reach the roundabout.

Continue the last part of the tour taking Via Vecchia di Cuneo until you come across Via Federico Mistral on the right, which takes you onto the beautiful tree-lined avenue of Viale degli Angeli. After passing the Santuario degli Angeli, continue for a few kilometres until you reach the “Gesso e Stura” roundabout, dedicated to the two waterways that unite to form the wedge that gives the city its name. From here, ride along Via Roma where, with the last few hundred metres, you’ll end the tour, crossing the most historic part of Cuneo.

Download Cycling and Cycling Tourism Itineraries in the Province of Cuneo