The Alta Via del Sale is not for the faint-hearted as there are mostly no crash barriers along the narrow alpine route. — Photos: MANUEL HOLLENBACH/dpa
To the left is a cliff wall towering overhead. To the right, the terrain abruptly drops several hundred meters. In between, a rocky road barely a couple fingers’ width wider than your car. Such scenes usually feature in blurry YouTube videos recorded on Bolivia’s “Death Road” in the Andes or dangerous stretches in the Himalayas.
However, this is no expedition in Asia or South America, but rather a drive in the Alps and, on top of it, a normal road – or at least one that the locals in this north-western corner of Italy on the border with France consider to be normal. For, ever since the military began putting up border forts and barracks up in the peaks around 150 years ago, a narrowly-meshed network of roads and paths criss-crosses this mountain range known as the Maritime Alps.
Today these roads serve peaceful recreational purposes, albeit of the heart-stopping kind for adventurous motorists.
Tolls, caps and car-free days
By far the most famous of these Alpine roads is the Alta Via del Sale (Upper Salt Road) because it constantly runs at altitudes above 1,800m above sea level, ascending to almost 2,100m in some places. Winding along at times in Italy, at other times crossing into France, the Alta Via del Sale stretches from Limone Piemonte to Monesi di Triora, across 60km of rocky terrain.
The route is so spectacular and attracts so many tourists that the communities along the core 30km-stretch of the road have introduced tolls. The ticket costs ¤20 (RM101), while in addition, a limit of only a few hundred vehicles per day has been set to assure that the Alta Via del Sale won’t get too clogged with traffic.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the road is reserved exclusively for hikers and mountain-bikers.
The charming French town of Tende clings to the slope at the foot of the pass like a swallow’s nest.
Outstanding skills required
While the number of cars allowed on the core stretch of the Alta Via del Sale is limited, you should expect delays – because it’s still a two-way road. Drivers must repeatedly look for evasion points to let oncoming traffic pass – in some places this can mean having to drive backwards for several hundred metres, on a stretch where there are mostly no guard rails.
So when setting out on this alpine route, you had better be a good driver and know your car and the dimensions. It is for good reason that the Denzel Alpine Road Guide warns motorists of high physical and mental strain on the Alta Via del Sale, rating the route’s difficulty at four out of five.
This makes the Alta Via del Sale a “difficult route even for those used to the mountains (that) requires outstanding driving skills far above the average”, the guide says.
Even though it is above all heavy all-terrain vehicles that are seen on the road – overlanders with a rooftop tent, or souped-up vans – this Alpine borderline experience can also be mastered without problem in a modern SUV, or even a conventional small car. Regardless of the vehicle, you will feel like a gutsy expedition leader on an offroad adventure – until, around the next curve, you come across a tiny Fiat Panda or a local farmer driving a small delivery van straight toward you.
The food at Rifugio La Terza is delicious, but don’t forget that closing time is at 10pm.
Where to stay
For those in a hurry, the Alta Via del Sale can be done in a day. But those who don’t wish to just stare at the road but instead take in the mountain panorama, take a break, shoot some pictures and perhaps also go for a hike, should plan an overnight stay.
One option is to head down to the valley, for example to the charming French town of Tende, which clings to the slope at the foot of the pass like a swallow’s nest. It also offers recharging stations for electric cars. For those with more time to spare, the famous Tenda train takes you to Turin on one side or Nice on the other.
But when up in the mountains, why not stay in a mountain hut? In this region there is none so rustic and at the same time attractive as the Rifugio La Terza. Those who call the innkeeper ahead of time and are travelling in a car will certainly be allowed to drive the final few hundred meters from the parking lot directly to the inn.
The dishes are tasty in the Rifugio, and of course there’s the chance for a glass or two of Vino Rosso. But be careful: 10pm is closing time and soon afterwards the lights go out in the simple rooms as the hut’s diesel-powered electricity generator is shut off. So it’s best to recharge cameras and phones before lights-out.
To the sea
When at 7am the next day the workers rev up the generator’s motor again, the trip can continue. The Alta Via del Sale website lists a half-dozen routes, all of them worth exploring.
To end the excursion in style, drive back down winding and seemingly endless switchbacks toward paved roads until the azure of the Mediterranean comes into view.
Once you reach the beach in Ventimiglia, Menton or maybe even Monaco and the seawater washes around your ankles, the exertions on the Alta Via del Sale are forgotten in an instant – leaving for later the question about the route to take on the way back. – dpa
