This year we ran our first off-road tour which was a great success.
Situated where we are in the foothills of the Alps, we have some incredible trails on our doorstep, from fast forest tracks, technical river crossings, to seriously steep climbs and descents. We even take in sections of the regional enduro course. Typically we cover between 70-100kms a day with a bare minimum of tarmac. The riders on that first tour were a group of hard-bitten enduro riders with competition experience and they were impressed. Our guide Mirko pushed them to the limit (and beyond a couple of times!). "Extreme trail-riding" was how one of the guys described it!
Via del Sale
Running along the top of the Maritime Alps, before descending to the Ligurian coast is the "Via del Sale". This famous, unpaved road, at times at an altitude of 2,300metres (7,500 ft) was an ancient trade route between the Ligurian sea and the plains of Piemonte. From base we head into the hills on a switchback B road passing through vineyards and nut orchards before heading into the mountains proper. Eventually tarmac gives way to dirt, shale and rock and we start the adventure.
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This tour is a more relaxed affair, also suitable for big trailies, or dual-sport bikes, with the accent on scenery, good food etc. Our guide has done it on an Africa Twin with full camping gear! It can be a day trip as part of your biking holiday, or extended to include one or two nights in the mountains and a trip to the coast.
Contact us for costs ,and details of accommodation, back-up, etc. Tours are arranged on an individual basis, ie, tell us what you want and we will deliver. Groups with equal ability are preferred. Due to the high cost of Italian insurance, at this moment we are unable to offer bike rentals in quantity, but we're working on it. Chas Mortimer (see transport link) can transport bikes and kit there and back, and Ryanair and Easyjet both do budget flights to Turin where we can arrange transfer.