The Grande Traversata delle Alpi in the Valle Maira

There are Alpine valleys that chose not to become ski resorts, and the Valle Maira is perhaps the purest example. Narrow and deep, in the heart of the Occitan Cottian Alps in the province of Cuneo, it has endured decades of depopulation without surrendering to the concrete of ski lifts. The result, today, is a rare landscape: stone hamlets restored with respect, mule tracks still alive, an Occitan culture that survives in language and cuisine. It is in this setting that the Grande Traversata delle Alpi, the GTA, offers some of its most authentic stages.

The route

The GTA is a long hiking route that runs along the Piedmontese side of the Alps through the posti tappa, the small welcoming lodges created precisely to bring life back to mountain villages. In the Valle Maira its course touches some of the valley's iconic places. The valley floor is dominated by Dronero, with its medieval Ponte del Diavolo, the gateway from which you climb toward the interior. Going up, you come across the villages of Macra, Celle di Macra with its tradition of anchovy sellers, and higher still Elva, a remote hamlet famous for its frescoes and for the Vallone road that connects it to the rest of the world. Toward the head of the valley you reach Acceglio and its hamlets, at the foot of the peaks that mark the border with France.

The joy of walking here lies in the network of trail lodges. You don't sleep in large, crowded refuges, but in small structures scattered among the hamlets, often family-run, where dinner is the traditional Occitan fare and the beds are few. This shapes the rhythm of the journey: you walk from one hamlet to the next, crossing passes and side valleys, with larches, pastures, and the stone of the houses as a constant backdrop. It's a demanding trek, with stages that cross Alpine passes and require good legs, but a deeply human one.

How to get there

To reach the valley, the reference point is Cuneo, accessible by train; from there you climb toward Dronero and the valley floor by road transport, bearing in mind that the deeper you go, the sparser public connections become. Having a car as far as the start of your chosen stage simplifies the logistics, but many choose to embrace the slowness itself, arranging transfers in advance. Once on the trails, you move exclusively on foot: there are no cable cars to shortcut the elevation gain, and that is precisely what keeps hurried tourism at bay.

When to go

The right time to walk these stages is high summer and early autumn, between June and September. In early summer the meadows are in bloom and the passes shed their residual snow; September offers clear air, turning colours, and quieter trail lodges after the modest August peak. Even in the busiest months, however, the Valle Maira never sees the queues of the Dolomite trails: the absence of lifts and large hotels naturally filters out who arrives, leaving the ridges to walkers and the few remaining shepherds.

Occitan culture

It's worth remembering that the Valle Maira isn't only a walk: it's also a living culture. The Occitan language survives in place names and in the conversations of the elderly, the cuisine offers peasant dishes like ravioles and mountain cheeses, and the crafts preserve trades almost vanished elsewhere, such as that of the anchovy sellers of Celle. To walk here means to cross not only a geography, but a memory that endures with quiet pride.

A practical tip before setting off: book the trail lodges well in advance and check their opening days, because beds are limited and in some hamlets the only available lodging may be full or closed. Also find out about services along the route, since shops and supply points are rare: better to set out with adequate provisions. And give yourself time to stop in the villages: in the Valle Maira the journey isn't only the trail, but the people who have kept it alive.

Practical guides for Cuneo

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• What to see in Cuneo in 2 days
• Where to eat in Cuneo
• How to get to Cuneo