the Pennines crowned by Monte Rosa, or perhaps the exotic Dolomites. But there’s so much more than these justifiably popular districts, and on the GTA the Ligurian, Maritime and Cottian Alps will surprise and reward with scenes as unforgettable as those further north. This epic trek climbs and descends around 44,000 metres on its way from the Mediterranean to Monte Rosa, which gives a clue to the nature of the journey. Day after day arduous passes have to be crossed that reveal horizons of rugged rock and gleaming snowscapes and, in the opening stages, more than a hint of the sea. Marguareis, Monte Gelàs, Argentera, Monviso, Rocciamelone – each one becomes a milestone on the way north. Then there’s the Gran Paradiso at last, and Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa to underscore the route’s pedigree.
Grande traversata delle alpi: GTA
The Argentera is the highest peak in the Maritime Alps
This route had been hovering at the back of my mind for a long time. It just wouldn’t go away. I’d read in an Italian Alpine Club magazine about a long-distance trail in Piemonte stretching over the arc of valleys and mountains that lay beyond the grand regional capital of Torino. But it was a hint from my publisher, Cicerone Press, that prompted me to set out. I found the idea of travelling across the Alps on foot hugely attractive, and spent hours poring over large-scale maps tracing the route and dreaming of the panoramas that my eyes would be treated to. The Grande Traversata delle Alpi – what an inspiring title! The distance was not to be underrated: a mere 200km as the crow flies but a huge 633km on the ground, in terms of paths and actual walking, accounting for a mind-boggling third (yes, a third!) of the immense Alpine curve.
It was a terribly exciting prospect that would take me across the Western Alps on the very far side of Italy from my home in Venice. It also meant navigating across five of Italy’s Alpine regions – the Ligurian, Maritime, Cottian, Graian and Pennine Alps – past a procession of legendary stone giants from the Argentera, Monviso (Monte Viso) and Gran Paradiso, before the final crowning queen Monte Rosa. Brand new Alpine landscapes were to be revealed, along with captivating tales of the life of men and animals on the mountain slopes.
The first year I managed to slip in a quick trip late September when the huts were beginning to shutter up as the season drew to an end. Contacts in the regional capital Cuneo suggested that I’d find comforting similarities with my beloved Dolomites in the limestone landscapes of the Ligurian Alps. This definitely proved true, but they omitted to warn me of the marvels of the adjoining Maritimes that took my breath away. That winter I found myself counting the months until I could go back, and the following summer ranks as one of the most memorable in the whole of my Alpine life as I wandered on for 36 blissful days, only a single short interruption due to inclement weather – zero visibility caused by dense fog and blinding rain.
All I needed was on my back in my rucksack, and by my side in the shape of my companions, whose importance I never underrated. A motley crew of friends swept up by my enthusiasm joined me on holiday windows of opportunity, meeting up at strategic railway stations and bus stops along the way. I dubbed them my ‘shift walkers’.
Lovely Piano di Valasco in the Maritime Alps
The GTA became something of a cheese trail for me. Piemonte is a prime producer for Italy, much credit going to the tiny mountain communities that cling on, specialising in unique flavours. The fact is that each valley has different conditions, exposure of pasture slopes, variety of fodder, and individual time-tested techniques for concocting cheeses from cow, sheep and goat milk. For storage, rudimentary sheds half-excavated, half-built into the mountainside are lined with shelves of rounds laid down for ageing. In the Gran Paradiso area I even discovered dwarf fridges – tiny stone cabinets set over running streams which keep the temperature at a constant low. Who needs electricity! When farms close up at the end of summer and herds and herders return to the valley, the treasure is packed in straw and loaded onto horseback, but not before gourmet walkers have appreciated the likes of Brüs and Maccagno.
The Ligurian Alps: from Viozene to Limonetto
Low profile yet splendid, the Ligurian Alps host the opening section of the trek. Modest limestone reliefs that launch the eastward sweep of the mighty Alpine arc, they lie a mere 40km from the Mediterranean; not surprising then that hints of the sea can be perceived, first and foremost in the vegetation with aromatic herbs and even lavender and broom that drench the air with their perfume.
From the tiny hamlet of Viozene, which comes to life in summer, an easy path transits at the foot of splendid Mongioie. By way of Passo delle Saline, a reminder of the long-gone salt trade, it touches on friendly Rifugio Mondovì, where the risk of being waylaid by a mouth-watering lunch is elevated. But it is crucial to push on to see 2651m Marguareis, the highest mountain in the Ligurian Alps. Here beautiful sweeps of limestone landscape include tell-tale signs of karstification – sink holes, dolina basins and extensive underground caves. An old paved military track winds unhurriedly upwards to the exhilarating grassy ridge separating France and Italy, where a remarkable string of six monumental forts from the late 1800s still stand guard. Showcase Fort Central overlooks Colle di Tenda, where views now embrace the Maritime Alps, pale and very promising.
The Maritime Alps: from Limonetto to Pontebernardo
A morning’s walk from Limonetto, Passo Ciotto Mieu acts as the gateway to the wonderful Maritimes. A short detour is rewarded with a brilliant lookout over the vast Po plain to the unmistakable pyramid of Monviso, succeeded by glittering if distant glaciated Monte Rosa, where the GTA will come to its grandiose finale many weeks on.
Tiny lakes at Colle di Fenestrelle
Down Vallone degli Alberghi with its pretty tarns, the steep path passes through beautiful beech wood, glorious colours highlighted by filtered sunlight. The day comes to a satisfying if tiring end at the peaceful hamlet of Palanfré, home to an excellent dairy and walker’s hostel.
Grassy slopes precede broad-ridged Costa di Planard. It’s hard to know which way to look here. In late summer the best direction is up for the airborne procession of birds of prey migrating south – golden eagles, black kites and sparrow-hawks. Volunteers spend days on end monitoring their progress and keeping a tally of numbers and species. The birds’ flight takes them over the wild heart of the Maritimes, a multitude of sharp, toothy grey-green points. What a sight!
Over in wooded Valle Gesso a steep track emerges at the foot of neck-cricking 3142m Monte Gelàs, dubbed the ‘Mont Blanc of the Maritimes’. Here Rifugio Soria-Ellena at 1840m is a good place to overnight and fraternise with the French randonneurs who come via Col di Fenestre, a pass that has seen centuries of pilgrims, traders and even hapless refugees in 1943 fleeing occupied France.
A crazily zigzagging path concludes at 2463m Colle di Fenestrelle and an unworldly corridor where ibex hang out on vertical perches, keeping a watchful eye on the two-legged intruders. Just a few steps on comes the breathtaking vision of the Argentera, the queen of the Maritimes, and what a beauty! A huge clump of interlinked mountains rather than a single peak, reminiscent of an awesome impenetrable fortress. A roller-coaster route across rock-strewn slopes in the company of chamois and vast spreads of wild flowers leads along its northern flanks and Canale di Lourousa, a vertiginous ice-bound gully. A tiny red bivouac hut can be spotted up there, essential shelter for climbers.
The contrast with the day’s destination couldn’t be more striking; nestled in beechwood hundreds of metres below in Vallone Gesso della Valletta is the old-style spa resort of Terme di Valdieri (1368m), all the rage in the 1800s thanks to scorching hot mineral springs used for therapeutic purposes. The ageing Grand Hotel and Swiss-style chalets offer a hint of erstwhile charm and elegance. At the time this