Grande Traversata delle Alpi, Long-distance trail in Piedmont, Italy
The Grande Traversata delle Alpi covers approximately 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) across the western Italian Alps in Piedmont, connecting numerous mountain valleys from Valle Anzasca near the Swiss border to Viozene in the Ligurian Alps through 55 daily hiking stages.
The trail was developed in the 1970s by enthusiasts from Turin who expanded on a French alpine path concept, organizing the route through volunteer efforts that attracted hundreds of hikers per segment during the late 1970s before interest gradually declined in following decades.
The route crosses territories with diverse linguistic heritage including Walser settlements in Valsesia, Piedmontese speakers in the lower Susa Valley, Arpitan in the Lanzo Valleys, and Occitan in southern valleys, though many regional languages have declined since the twentieth century.
The trail is fully accessible during July and August with some sections manageable from May or June depending on snow conditions, and hikers should plan ahead as mountain huts may have limited availability or close after August, especially on weekends.
The route passes through historically cultivated mountain landscapes now experiencing significant depopulation, with ancient farming terraces, boundary walls, and old connecting roads still visible among villages that have become sparsely inhabited or completely abandoned over the past century.
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