Viozene - Saccarello
T01
Level of difficulty
Type
Duration
6:30
round trip
STARTING POINT
Viozene Location
Municipality of departure
Ormea
Starting fee
1.199 m
POINT OF ARRIVAL
Monte Saccarello
Municipality of arrival
Triora (IM)
Arrival fee
2.201 m
Length of the route
44.1 km
round trip
MAXIMUM QUOTE.
2.201 m
Minimum fee
1.199 m
Uphill elevation gain
1.244 m
Downhill gradient
1.244 m
Charging column
Present
It is located at Agriturismo Mongioie, Frazione Viozene 7, telephone 0174.390101.
THE PATH.
After parking the car near the little church of Viozene, you leave behind the unmistakable Dolomite silhouette of Monte Mongioie, continue along the provincial road toward Upega, and, after a few kilometers, reach the incredible Passo delle Fascette and the karst gorge of the same name, beloved and studied by Italian and foreign speleologists alike.
Reaching the quaint village of Upega, continue to the chapel of Madonna della Neve, from which it bends southward into the Marguareis Nature Park.
Moving always between Piedmont and Liguria among larch and fir forests, we join the ex-military Monesi-Tenda (now known as the Alta Via del Sale) and follow it until four hairpin bends before Monesi itself, when we take the dirt road south toward Mount Saccarello, the highest peak in all of Liguria.
LOCATIONS AND POINTS OF INTEREST
Pass of the Ties
Considered one of the most characteristic road sections of Lower Piedmont, the Passo delle Fascette actually overlooks the Gola of the same name, representing the most credible evidence of the karstification that characterizes the entire area. In particular, right near the Pass, it is possible to glimpse the resurgences typical of the area, with sudden jets of water gushing from the rock after a few stretches of hypogean flow.
Upega
A typical alpine village that is part (along with Carnino Inferiore, Carnino Superiore and Piaggia) of the municipality of Briga Alta, once Briga Marittima along with the current French municipality of La Brigue, Upega has preserved intact its architectural imprint, offering visitors and tourists an authentic glimpse of an urban core built of local stone and pitched roofs, typical of the Briga culture that still characterizes the entire area.
Marguareis Nature Park
Formerly known as the Alta Valle Pesio e Tanaro Nature Park, the Marguareis Park now extends over the northern and southern slopes of the massif of the same name, encompassing part of the municipalities of Ormea and Briga Alta, which have always been distinguished by high rates of floristic and faunal biodiversity and geological uniqueness (karstification) with few equals in the entire western Alps.
High Salt Road
Considered one of the most spectacular high-altitude white roads in the entire region, the former military rolling road almost always runs above 2,000 meters above sea level, connecting Monesi to Limone Piemonte and Colle di Tenda, symbolically uniting Italy and France, Piedmont and Liguria. Open to restricted vehicular traffic during summer periods, it is now a valuable example of sustainable enhancement of Alpine assets.
Local Specialties
Ormea: similarly processed to the more famous Raschera PDO, Ormea is a raw milk cheese made from cow's and goat's milk in varying proportions according to availability, produced on the pastures surrounding Ormea above an altitude of 900 meters. Marketed starting in September, it retains two distinct versions: fresh, with tender paste without holes, and ripened with a stronger, spicier taste.
Saracen polenta: Among the typical recipes of Ormeasca cuisine, the famous Saracen polenta, made by kneading potatoes with wheat flour and buckwheat flour, and then adding the traditional local sauce with milk, leeks and porcini mushrooms as a condiment, is worth mentioning here.
Download gps coordinates of the route
All Mongibike tracks are also available on Tabui
