Sestriere circuit through the Susa Valley

Route details

A 185 km round trip from Turin into the Piedmontese high mountains via the Colle del Sestriere (2,035 m) with a return through the historic Susa Valley.

Tourer starts in the greater Turin area near Beinasco and heads west into the Cottian Alps via the SP 23. The Strada Provinciale 23 del Colle di Sestriere was originally built in Napoleonic times (1814) and connects the Piedmont plain with the French border region. After Pinerolo, the route steadily gains altitude and crosses the Val Chisone with its characteristic mountain villages.

The cycling highlight is the climb to Colle del Sestriere at 2,035 meters. Both ramps are well developed, with the south-west ramp having gradients of up to 25 percent. The winter sports resort of Sestriere itself is known as the highest mountain sports resort in western Italy and has been part of the Tour de France several times as well as the venue for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

From Sestriere, the Route heads north towards Oulx and the upper Susa Valley. At Oulx, you reach the SS 24, which would lead to the Col de Montgenèvre (1,854 m) towards France. However, the Tourer remains on Italian territory and turns eastwards through the Susa Valley back towards Turin.

The Susa Valley stretches for around 90 kilometers in a west-east direction and is flanked on both sides by three-thousand-metre peaks. The Dora Riparia flows through the valley. The region has historical significance as part of the Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrimage route to Rome. The main attraction is the Sacra di San Michele Abbey on Monte Pirchiriano, which inspired Umberto Eco to write his novel 'The Name of the Rose'.

At Avigliana, the Route passes the Parco Naturale dei Laghi di Avigliana with its two glacial lakes. Lago Grande is one of the cleanest lakes in Piedmont. From here, there is a view of the Sacra di San Michele, which towers 962 m above sea level.

The road surface is mostly good, although some renovation work has been carried out in recent years. The SP 23 may have seasonal Roadworks - we recommend checking the route before setting off. The Curves are mostly wide with some tighter passages on the pass. Traffic is mainly to be expected at weekends during the ski and cycling season, as the route is popular with racing cyclists.