The Occitan Trails of Val Maira
In the province of Cuneo, Val Maira chose not to build ski lifts: no chairlifts, no downhill skiing, only Occitan hamlets and mule tracks. It is one of the quietest Alpine valleys in Piedmont, walked by hikers rather than mass tourists.
Foto: Luca Casale (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons
Val Maira was left behind, and made that its fortune. While neighbouring valleys built lifts, car parks and holiday complexes, here nothing of the sort happened: there isn't even a single chairlift. The depopulation of the twentieth century emptied the high hamlets, but that emptiness is today the very reason those seeking silence and slow walking climb up here. Occitan, the langue d'oc of the valleys, is still spoken, and the dry-stone walls of the hamlets tell of a high-altitude farming world that has vanished elsewhere.
The Occitan Trails
The hiking heart of the valley is the network of Occitan Trails (Percorsi Occitani), a ring of stages linking the mid-slope and high-altitude hamlets between the upper and middle valley. You walk from waypoint to waypoint, sleeping in small huts and inns carved out of restored stone houses. For long stretches the route follows ancient mule tracks and the famous paths cut into the rock around Elva, built long ago to connect the hamlets when roads did not exist.
Among the most recognisable points are Chiappera, at the far end of the upper valley, dominated by the spire of the Provenzale, one of the area's symbolic peaks; the Ussolo and Marmora area with its scattered hamlets; and Elva, whose church preserves a celebrated cycle of Renaissance frescoes. Lower down, Stroppo, Macra and Celle di Macra dot the slopes with chapels, mills and almost deserted hamlets. You don't have to do the whole circuit: you can pick single stages or short day loops starting from one of the main hamlets.
Getting there
You reach the valley by car from Cuneo or Saluzzo, climbing up from Dronero along the road that follows the Maira torrent. The valley is long and narrow, and in high season the valley floor can have a few busy bends, but you only need to climb on foot onto the trails to find yourself alone. Public transport is limited, so it's best to arrange things with a car up to the trailhead and then move only on foot.
Walking here means crossing a landscape built by human hands and then returned to nature. The high hamlets, once inhabited year-round by farming families, are partly ruins overgrown by woodland and partly houses reclaimed by those who have chosen to return to live or work in the mountains. Along the trails you come across communal ovens, fountains, votive chapels and the terraces that once held the rye and potato fields. It is a valley that teaches you to read the signs: a squared stone, a paved path, a dry-stone wall speak of the labour and know-how of generations, and this too is what makes the walk different from a simple nature outing.
The difficulty
As for difficulty, the Occitan Trails are a hut-to-hut trek of moderate commitment: you walk several hours a day with constant ups and downs between the hamlets, on well-marked but at times exposed paths, especially on the sections cut into the rock. No mountaineering skills are needed, but good legs and being used to elevation gain certainly are, because every day you climb and descend significantly. The stages are designed to be walked with a light pack, sleeping along the way.
When to go
The best time runs from early summer to early autumn. June brings flowering meadows and long days, July is full green, September brings clear air, the first colours and even fewer people. You avoid the crowds almost by definition: Val Maira is not a destination for a mass Sunday outing, and those who go there are almost always walkers. Even in August, the busiest month elsewhere, the pressure here stays modest compared with the valleys that have lifts.
A practical tip: book your stage stops well in advance, because the accommodation is small, family-run and with few beds, and many close out of season. Check opening days and services beforehand, bring cash because there isn't a signal or a card reader everywhere, and set off early in the morning to enjoy the hamlets in the best light and reach your destination unhurried. Val Maira rewards those who slow down: it is not a valley to cross at a run, but one to listen to step by step.
Practical guides for Udine
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Occitan Trails of Val Maira?
The recommended time is June, July and September, when it is less crowded.
Where is The Occitan Trails of Val Maira?
The Occitan Trails of Val Maira is located in Val Maira, Cuneo.
