To get to Acceglio you have to cross through the Valle Maira. The name of the village derives from the Latin phrase ad cilium, which mean placed at the top. A stronghold of the Huguenots in the Middle Ages, in the 16th century the small town was the scene of the death sentences imposed by the Inquisition and of the harsh repression of Calvinist doctrines by the House of Savoy. The remnants of its past include the seventeenth-century Chiesa dell’Annunziata, located in the hamlet of Villa, and the nearby Confraternity, home to the Museo dell’Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) of the Upper Val Maira.

The Maira stream, from which the valley takes its name, originates in the territory of Acceglio. Its impetuous and abundant spring waters spout directly from the foot of the mountain into a basin with a small pond.

The town is connected to a dense network of paths, including that of the Percorsi Occitani, or Western Routes, circuit, which has transformed the ancient mule tracks into hiking and cycling routes that join up the entire valley; then there are also the traditional alpine trails, suitable for hikers and cyclists with all levels of experience. Here, climbing enthusiasts will find two ascents of unparalleled beauty: Rocca Provenzale and Rocca Castello. The sportiest, most experienced adventurers can try their hand at the wonderful Alpine via ferrata, on Mount Oronaye. Acceglio is a very popular Alpine destination even in winter, when visitors can practice cross-country skiing, ski touring, and ski mountaineering.

One of the most important hamlets is Chiappera, a renowned hiking and mountaineering centre in the upper valley. It is characterized by the unmistakable skyline of the Provençale and Castello ranges and the Stroppia waterfalls, the highest in Italy, which crash down from the mountain, offering onlookers a unique show that lasts from June to the beginning of August.

Another hamlet worth a mention is Chialvetta, with its small but well-kept Museo Etnografico La Misoun d'en bot (Museum of Ethnography) which, in Occitan means "the home of the past". The museum testifies to life in the home of yesteryear, displaying approximately 1500 exhibits, all objects collected in the abandoned villages of the Unerzio valley.

The small hamlet of Pratorotondo was the birthplace of Matteo Olivero, naturally talented drawer and painter who completed his studies at the Accademia Albertina in Turin, then developed a style influenced by Segantini's Divisionism. His works relate the beauty of his beloved mountains, but also offer us an insight into his tormented character. In the town hall of Acceglio there is a small section dedicated to the canvases left to the village by the artist.