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Piedmont's Magical Valley

Valle Maira - an Occitan paradise
The walking | Truly challenging routes with a spectacular mountain backdrop.
The remarkable accommodation | Generous and hospitable mountain inns.
Occitan culture | A rare glimpse of an almost vanished way of life.
Natural abundance | Especially of spring flowers in Alpine meadows.
Paths with history | Uncover reminders from WWII.
What is included
  • 8 nights
  • 8 dinners
    6 picnics
    8 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfers to/from certain walks
  • Piedmont's Magical Valley
    Valle Maira - an Occitan paradise
  • Path near Allemandi
  • Refuge on the Gardetta Pass route from Allemandi
  • Mont Soubeyran on the Passo della Cavalla walk from Ponte Maira
  • Walk from Ponte Maira, via lakes, into France
  • On the route from Ponte Maira to Finello
What is included
  • 8 nights
  • 8 dinners
    6 picnics
    8 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfers to/from certain walks

Holiday information

A walking holiday in the Valle Maira

Take challenging, high mountain routes along ancient paths, past stunning lakes and fresh springs, walking the highlights of the ‘Percorsi Occitani’ while your luggage is transported. Along the way, stay in cosy mountain retreats, enjoying dinners of regional specialities.
In Piedmont’s remote and rugged Valle Maira, which occupies an enchanting fold of the Cottian Alps close to the French border, the Occitan language still lives on – often in song – and formerly deserted mountain villages are being born again, thanks to the renovation of a network of ancient paths which circumnavigate the valley, known as the ‘Percorsi Occitani’.

Linking picturesque hamlets and villages that adhere to age-old traditions, many of the paths criss-crossing this extraordinarily beautiful high valley are paved in stone at lower levels – where mixed forest is interspersed with Mediterranean vegetation – and are often bordered by crumbling dry-stone walls, while the rocky alpine landscape of the higher slopes is dotted with plentiful springs and lakes.

It’s not that long ago that glaciers shrouded the highest of the north faces, and the summits, though mostly free of snow in high summer, are impressive. Taking in some of the high peaks which are accessible to walkers, this is a varied, challenging holiday, with significant ascents and descents each day as you explore the well-signed paths and tracks. Our carefully planned routes and quality hotels converted from old mountain dwellings – as well as a number of included transfers – allow you to enjoy this wonderful area and its magnificent views to the full, savouring warm hospitality and delicious Occitan cuisine each evening.


Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 2 2 6 9 14 18 21 21 17 12 6 3
    mm 48 38 57 111 134 89 63 51 83 99 100 50
  • Arrival in Allemandi
    Night 1: at Al Chersogno (the first of three nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks around Allemandi: 12km to 17km
    Allemandi is located on the north side of the valley, high above the River Maira. Offering wide-ranging views, our recommended walks in this area provide an excellent introduction to this unique valley.

    Circular nature trail walk: 12km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 620m
    For a relatively gentle first day, choose this nature trail route which includes a rocky outlook from where seven of the valley’s nine districts are visible, an ancient path of dry-stone construction, and a shady irrigation channel dotted with carved wooden sculptures.

    Linear walk via Gardetta Pass: 13km, 6hrs; ascent 700m / descent 1115m
    If you’d like to begin with a big walk, this option is for you. The route starts with a transfer (included) then takes you past the imposing peak of Chersogno. Though this 3,024-metre summit looks impregnable, a rocky path leads from the pass right to the top, within the scope of walkers with a head for heights who are confident on paths of loose rock (this adds 2.5km/2hrs to the route). The reward is a 360-degree panorama in a league of its own. Even without the detour, this is an impressive and varied walk, with a less challenging option to divert to Lake Camoscere, before returning via a grassy whaleback ridge – a highlight in itself – to Allemandi.

    Linear walk via Elva: 17km, 7hrs; ascent 885m / descent 990m
    This walk explores the Elva Valley to the east of Allemandi, crossing the San Michele pass before descending through shady forest to reach Elva. This village, though remote, is home to an impressively frescoed medieval church, as well as a Museum of Hair documenting the region’s central role in the booming early-20th-century trade in human hair. The walk then climbs two passes to reach the ancient village of San Martino Superiore from where you return to Allemandi by pre-arranged taxi (pay locally).
    Nature trail walk around Allemandi
    The peak of Chersogno, on the route via the Gardetta Pass
    Circular ‘Broom Walk’: 5km
    Linear walk via Gardetta Pass: 13km
    Linear walk from Allemandi to Elva: 17km
  • Choice of walks from Allemandi to Ponte Maira: 17.5km to 18km

    Allemandi to Ponte Maira via Serasin Pass: 18km, 7hrs; ascent 1035m / descent 1205m
    Following a section of the Percorsi Occitani through the beautiful village of Castiglione, this route includes a demanding climb past ancient hamlets to the spectacular Serasin Pass. It then descends via open country and forest to the Locanda Mistral in Ponte Maira, your base for the next three nights.

    Lower option: 17km, 6.5hrs; ascent 815m / descent 965m
    An easier option descends from Castiglione to follow the River Maira to Ponte Maira
    The route from Allemandi to Ponte Maira
    Via Serasin Pass: 18km
    Lower option: 17.5km
  • Choice of walks around Ponte Maira: 15.5km to 20km

    You have a choice of three walks for your two days in Ponte Maira. Please note all transfers on these days should be paid for locally.

    Circular walk via Passo della Cavalla: 19km, 8hrs; ascent / descent 1300m
    Your first option begins from Ponte Maira itself, and explores both lakes and peaks. After a gentle start, you climb into high, rugged country, passing not just bunkers and crumbling barracks, but skeins of barbed wire tracing the contours of these otherwise untouched hillsides – rusting relics marking the contested boundary between France and Italy in WWII. From Passo della Cavalla you can, for a challenge and sweeping views, climb Mont Soubeyran , or simply continue beneath it to then descend below the imposing north face of ‘Auto Vallonasso’ to the dramatic (and swimmable) Lake Visaisa, set in a cirque. The path then descends through forest back to Ponte Maira. For a shorter walk (10km), avoiding the higher elevations, you can climb directly to Lake Visaisa and return the same way.

    Linear walk via Rocca Provenzale: 15.5km, 6.5hrs; ascent 965m / descent 745m
    This walk starts from Ponte Maira, walking the balcony path along the north side of the Maira Valley up to Chiappera, a nearby village dominated by the towering Rocca Provenzale. From here the route around the Rocca involves a stiff but well graded climb to the Greguri Pass and an atmospheric WWII bunker, with views northwards to the French border and beyond. The route then loops down and round to follow the river beneath the spectacular Cascate de Stroppia and back to Chiappera. Return to Ponte Maira by taxi. You can also take a taxi to Chiappera at the start of the day, and just walk the Rocca Provenzale loop (10km).

    Linear walk via Lake Roure: 20km, 8.5hrs; ascent  / descent 1060m; 
    Your final option begins and ends by taxi – to and from Chiappera. After following the river from Chiappera, continue up through the beautiful Maurin Valley to Col de Maurin, on the border between Italy and France. It’s a short onward section to Lake Roure from here, before retracing your steps back down into Italy and on to Chiappera.

     

    Lac de Marinet on the route via Lake Roure
    Passo della Cavalla: 19km
    Rocca Provenzale: 15.5km
    Walk via Lake Roure: 20km
    Circular walk via Rocca Provenzale: 10.5km
    Linear walk via Lake Roure: 16.5km
    Linear walk via Col de Marinet: 21.5km
    Circular walk via Passo della Cavalla: 19km
  • Ponte Maira to Finello: 15km, 6.5hrs; ascent 940m / descent 1010m
    After a short transfer (included), you follow an ancient way through a hamlet and along the pretty Unerzio Valley. The ascent to the Passo della Gardetta passes multiple gun emplacements and bunkers, blended into the rocky hillside but still intact more than 70 years later. The view from the pass is one of the classics of the Valle Maira, sweeping east across the high Gardetta Valley to the prominent peak of Rocca la Meja in the distance. The gentle descent over high grasslands to the Preit col takes you past a rifugio where you can pause for a drink or lunch before the brief final climb across the lower slopes of La Meja. The route ends with a steady descent to Preit, from where a taxi (included) transfers you to the Locanda Lou Pitavin in Finello for your final two nights.
    Ponte Maira to Finello: 15km
    Walking to Finello
  • Circular walk around Finello: 7.5km, 3.5hrs; ascent / descent 440m
    This is an easier circuit on paths, tracks and deserted mountain roads through the most picturesque hamlets of the lush, wooded Marmora Valley. There’s plenty of time to hunt down the many frescoes which adorn the walls of private houses and churches along the way, and to explore Vernetti, the last and largest village on the route, before returning to Finello for a sumptuous final dinner.
    Circular walk around Finello: 7.5km
    Your final route explores the unspoiled Marmora Valley

Accommodation

We have found three friendly, well-located places to stay.

Extend your stay

Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 8 nights: 10 June 2026 - 07 October 2026 & 10 June 2027 - 07 October 2027

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 29 Sep 2026 From £1621
    10 - 30 Jun 2027 From £1621
    1 - 31 Jul 2027 From £1611
    1 - 18 Aug 2027 From £1641
    19 - 31 Aug 2027 From £1721
    1 - 29 Sep 2027 From £1661
    1 - 29 Oct 2027 From £1591

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Turin or Genoa
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan Malpensa.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Turin (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Genoa (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Turin (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Turin (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Genoa British Airways,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Gatwick - Turin British Airways,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Heathrow - Genoa (via Rome Fiumicino) Alitalia 
    Heathrow - Turin (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Heathrow - Turin (via Rome Fiumicino) Alitalia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Turin Blue Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Genoa Ryanair 
    Stansted - Turin Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Genoa Ryanair 
    Manchester - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Manchester - Turin jet2 
    Manchester - Turin (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Manchester - Turin (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Turin (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Genoa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Turin (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Genoa (via Paris) Air France 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan Malpensa.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Genoa

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Genoa PP to Cuneo (3h20-3h30), taxi Cuneo to hotel (1h30) TBA 1400
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Cuneo (1h15), rail Cuneo to Genoa PP (3h15-3h30) TBA 1530

    Connecting travel options - flying via Turin

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Turin airport to hotel (2h30) TBA flexible
    rail Turin PN to Cuneo (1h30), taxi Cuneo to hotel (1h30) TBA 1630
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Turin airport (2h30) TBA flexible
    taxi hotel to Cuneo (1h15), rail Cuneo to Turin PN (1h30) TBA 1300
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Please note: any reference to maps in customer reviews is now out of date – we no longer provide these. For information on this, please see our FAQs page.


 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • For higher routes, we recommend going later into August to make sure they are clear of snow, cable cars are running, and mountain huts are open. The higher up you go, the later the wildflowers bloom, too.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Italy, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The principal official language is Italian, though some regions have a second official language, such as South Tyrol, where German is widely spoken. The currency is the Euro. Italian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Piedmont's Magical Valley
8 nights
Piedmont's Magical Valley
8 nights
Hotel-to-hotel walking
Grade: Challenging
Last fetch time is : 9/8/2026 9:01:31 AM

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