The forts of Colle di Tenda and the Salt Road

From Limone, a road with wide hairpin bends leads up to Colle di Tenda. Along the watershed where the pass opens up, in addition to military works linked to the construction before World War II of the so-called ‘Vallo Alpino’ (Alpine Wall), there are six imposing forts (Pepino, Taborda, Centrale, Margaria, Pernante, Giaura), built for defensive purposes by the House of Savoy between 1877 and 1888. Never used during wartime, they were disarmed from 1915 onwards. Today they are in a very precarious condition, so the visitor, if he does not want to run any danger, must limit himself to observation from the outside.

From the Colle di Tenda, heading eastwards, a former military road branches off, running through spectacular high-altitude environments around the Marguareis massif and then descending towards the sea. Renovated in recent years and named ‘Via del Sale’ (Salt Road), it recalls a type of road that was very common in the area, at the centre of trade between the coast and the Po Valley.

Today the road, which is subject to a fee, can be travelled by various means in the summer;  bicycles only are allowed on two midweek days.