Published: 01.09.2025
It's happening again. After this blog has been in a long slumber, I now have a reason to wake it up. After many other trips in the past years that were either too short or thematically unsuitable (Highland Trail 550 in Scotland, Colorado Trail), I have a longer adventure planned in the Western Alps. Due to a rather busy summer, my remaining vacation finally accumulated to five weeks. This needs to be urgently used up before the colder season sets in.
The idea is to make a round trip through Piedmont, into Valle Stura and Valle Maira. Then continue on to Provence. I had to skip that on my first trip due to a sharp rise in Corona cases. Since then, the region has been waiting increasingly impatiently on my bucket list. The well-known bikepacking route Trans Verdon will be in focus. After that, I want to see what else there is to discover on the way to Marseille. And that's it.
As usual for me, it's not about finding the fastest route from A to B, but rather about immersing myself in the wonderful landscapes of the Western Alps, so as not to miss the most beautiful places and trails along the way. I want to go with the flow, linger where I feel good, and enjoy getting a little lost. I have the time for it. The GPX track will surely be adorned with all kinds of loops and curls, much to the dismay of those who love straight lines. In that sense - let's go. And first with an endless train ride down to Cuneo.
