The stages from Limone Piemonte to Sanremo

The route between Limone Piemonte and the Don Barbera refugeis a classic ascent for lovers of the Alpes-Maritimes, an ideal way to fully appreciate the beauty of Cuneo’s mountainous landscape.

Leaving the station, take the narrow road leading to San Giovanni, home to the “Baptism of Jesus”, a painting by Beaumont bathed in eighteenth-century light. The CAI L15 trail then climbs up to Colle della Boaria and the famous feats of military road engineering, through the green pastures of Gias Valletta, turning the 16 kilometres of effort into pure alpine contemplation.

The well-equipped Don Barbera refuge, popular with hikers, cyclists and others, is a privileged gateway to the Ligurian Alps, opening the way to Carnino, Monte Saccarello and the imposing monument to the Redeemer, offering spectacular panoramic views of the Ligurian Sea.

This is a medium-length stage, balanced between downhill and uphill sections. After leaving the Refuge Don Barbera, the route drops in altitude on an easy path, then on a wide, passable track, to reach the two hamlets of Carnino below, which are well worth a visit as typical examples of well-preserved Alpine architecture.

The famous Foresteria in the lower hamlet, with its beautiful outdoor garden, offers an opportunity to take a break before the magnificent ascent to the Col du Lagarè, the obligatory pass on the way to Upega. This is a change of slope, now on the border with Liguria and just a few kilometres from the famous Bosco delle Navette and the panoramic summit of Saccarello.

The section descends from the high pastures of Pian della Ciappa, between fragrant grass and patches of forest, in a triumph of alpine vegetation, before entering the typical lanes of Upega, an isolated and silent village of stone buildings huddled together on the sunny slope.

The Ligurian Alps are a fascinating ‘hinge’ between the Alpine peaks and the sea. On this RivierAlp stage, we leave behind the rocky massifs of the Argentera and Marguareis to immerse ourselves in bucolic landscapes and thousand-year-old forests.

Among these, the Forêt des Navettes stands out: 2,700 hectares of larch and fir trees that once provided wood for the Ligurian shipyards, now a showcase for biodiversity, home to orchids, deer and, above all, black grouse. The focal point is the Mont Saccarello massif and the CAI Sanremo T. Gauzzi and La Terza refuges, located on the road to Mont Frontè, the gateway to Liguria. It’s no coincidence that this area is also crossed by the Sentiero Italia and the Alta Via.

From here, between ancient military roads and breathtaking views over the Roya Valley, the sea is just a few days’ walk away as you head towards the historic villages of Triora and Bajardo.

The Refuge CAI Sanremo T. Gauzzi and the private refuge La Terza are authentic pearls of the Ligurian Alps, strategically located between Mount Saccarello and the Roya Valley.

An overnight stay immersed in the vast silence of the pastures at an altitude of 2,000 m, before the descent to Triora. The breathtaking view at the foot of the monumental bronze statue of the Redeemer is a must; the equally panoramic Pas de Garlenda (2,021 m) marks the start of the real descent to the sea and the day’s final destination: the evocative and famous “Village des Sorcières”.

After steep descents through alpine meadows, the route gives way to slow progress through the forest, gradually losing altitude, but only after the picturesque grey stone villages of Verdeggia and Realdo have been revealed.

Starting out from the charming village of Triora, famous for its history, you immerse yourself in the heart of the Ligurian Alps Regional Nature Park. The route passes through centuries-old chestnut groves and coniferous forests, offering panoramas that are both silent and majestic.

A must-see stop just a few minutes from the start is the little church of San Bernardino, a Renaissance jewel in the Valle Argentina, home to precious aresques and an aura of ancient mysticism. After skirting the deep gorge of the Argentina torrent and admiring the unusual architectural contrast between the Sanctuary of Loreto and the modern road viaduct, the ascent through the chestnut trees is as demanding as it is rewarding.

The route culminates at Colla Melosa, near the historic CAI F. Allavena refuge, a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and a strategic crossroads for hikers and mountain bikers.

The penultimate stage before the Sanremo sea, starting from the slopes of Mont Grai, a short distance from the French border. A long stage that leaves the 1,545 m Colla Melosa and the pleasant terraces of the historic CAI F. Allavena Refuge (founded in 1947), to head towards the small Tenarda lake, whose artificial dam is only just touched by the path itself.

Pointing the compass towards Monte Ceppo (1,627 m), long wooded stretches alternate with sunny stretches along a route that reaches the small, solitary church of San Giovanni dei Prati, in the middle of an idyllic clearing.

This is an excellent place to stop before starting the climb through the thick, open beech forests that accompany the walker all the way down to the old village of Bajardo. The small Alpine church of San Bernardino, guarded by the forest, and the Beulla spring indicate the approach to the finish, which ends in the upper part of the village, just opposite the evocative ruins of the medieval church of San Niccolò.

RivierAlp‘s last moving stage, the now distant alpine heights of Monte Saccarello, reveals the beauty of the most authentic Liguria, as it descends from the 900-metre-high old village of Bajardo to the sea. The trail passes through lush forests and breathtaking panoramas amidst Mediterranean scrub and broom to reach the sunny hamlet of San Romolo.

Here, between picnic meadows and ancient plane trees, you’ll discover the remains of the historic cable car, once the longest in the world. As you head towards the coast, accompanied by bougainvillea and azure vistas, you come across the 17th-century Sanctuary of the Madonnadella Costa, a monumental guardian of the gulf.

The itinerary culminates in the beating heart of Sanremo: from the charming Regina Elena Gardens, you glide through the medieval streets of La Pigna, before finally immersing yourself in the lively city life of Via Palazzo, sealing an unforgettable journey between history and nature, sea and mountains.