Hiking Collection by Marika Abbà
Percorsi Occitani — the path of rebirth of the Maira Valley
14 days
2-8 h/day
183km
8,850m
8,860m
All the stages end in small alpine hamlets and the stage stations are mainly family-run. Here, you can experience daily life in the mountains, taste classic local dishes, sample the products of local farms and be delighted by Occitan songs and music.
The Occitan Paths were created to breathe new life into the mule tracks that have linked the various villages of the Maira Valley since ancient times. At the beginning of the 1990s, tour operators, mountain guides, hoteliers, enthusiasts and public bodies, including the Comunità Montana Valle Maira, all joined forces and completed this important, long-term project: creating the Associazione Percorsi Occitani. Thanks to this itinerary, the valley slowly repopulated: more and more people decided to invest their earnings and their time in opening new accommodation facilities, the children of those who had emigrated to the plains or to the big cities to find their fortune returned to the valley and began to renovate their family homes, creating a new future.
The Maira Valley, unlike many other neighbouring valleys, hasn’t experienced illegal construction: there are no huge mansions, only old stone huts with cylindrical columns, roofs made of losa (slate slabs) and wooden beams. There are no ski facilities or ski lifts. Everything is in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment.
The valley is only connected to neighbouring France by footpaths. While this has been partly responsible for historic depopulation, it’s turned out to be an asset, as it’s ensured that the valley remains a treasure trove of tradition.
Walking along the paths and mule tracks, you might catch a glimpse of marmots, roe deer, ibex and chamois while above your head you often spot birds of prey. Herds grazing in the summer pastures are a blissful sight as well. On starry nights, the Milky Way reveals itself in all its beauty.
I recommend you undertake the Occitan Trails between June and October so you won’t be hampered by large accumulations of snow on the high altitude paths. The stages in the lower-middle valley, on the other hand, can be done as early as May.
When packing your rucksack, don't forget breathable technical clothing, some warmer clothing, a rain jacket, a windbreaker, a water bottle, a good supply of food, a pair of sturdy boots and trekking poles. In the valley there’s a Sherpabus, a luggage and passenger transport service that you can rely on to lighten your backpack and your journey. Every morning you can leave your suitcase at your accommodation, only taking the essentials on the trail. When you reach your new accommodation at the end of the day, the Sherpabus will have already brought your luggage along. Easy!
Wild camping is allowed along the trails, but remember to set up your tent shortly before sunset and take it down immediately after sunrise. There are three campsites in the valley: at Prazzo, Chiappera (Acceglio) and Canosio. As far as accommodation is concerned, I recommend you book well in advance, especially if you’re walking in the middle of summer. You can find the list of stopover points on the official website of the Associazione Percorsi Occitani: percorsioccitani.com/percorsi-occitani-posti-tappa
You can reach the start point by car: the Ciciu del Villar Nature Reserve has a large car park. Using public transport is more complex: you’ll have to take a bus from Cuneo (line 92) to Dronero and from there you can walk to the reserve, which is a long and energy-consuming option for the first stage. Alternatively, you can organise a private transfer. Cuneo is just over an hour by train from Torino Porta Nuova. For the return journey, however, you can take a direct bus from Dronero to Cuneo, or reach Villar San Costanzo on foot or by taxi to collect your car.
To find out the opening times of the sites along the route and the events in the Maira Valley, I suggest you look at the Tourist Office of Dronero’s website vallemaira.org
Enjoy your walk!
Visibility:
Anyone
Do it yourself!
Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Occitan Paths (PO)
173km
8,270m
8,290m
Last updated: November 27, 2024
Do it yourself!
Premium
Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Activities
16.4km
05:20
950m
340m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
11.1km
03:26
370m
430m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Sign Up To Discover Places Like This
Get recommendations on the best single tracks, peaks, & plenty of other exciting outdoor places.
Sign up for free
13.6km
05:02
640m
840m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
10.6km
03:43
620m
530m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
13.3km
04:36
890m
360m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
10.3km
03:30
490m
560m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
8.89km
03:03
390m
630m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
14.9km
05:23
980m
710m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
12.7km
04:15
630m
510m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
5.84km
02:26
710m
90m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
20.5km
07:32
520m
1,650m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
9.10km
03:25
600m
330m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
9.93km
03:39
360m
560m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
25.8km
08:27
680m
1,320m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Collection Stats
Activities
14
Distance
183 km
Duration
63:47 h
Elevation
8,850 m
8,860 m
Create your own Collection
Learn more
Comments
Want to know more?
Sign up for a free komoot account to join the conversation.
Sign up for free