Historic Mountain roads

The pass is located inside the Orsiera Rocciavrè Nature Park and connects the municipalities of Meana di Susa in Val Susa, and Usseaux in Val Chisone. Created as a military communication link, the road is not only noted for the beauty of the places it passes through, but has a continuous gradient between 9 and 10% and is well known to cyclists for its toughness. Facing the ascent from the Val Susa side means covering 17 km, with a 1700 m elevation gain and 33 hairpin bends. Part of the route (from Colletto di Meana up to the summit for a total of 8 km) is on a dirt road, which makes the ascent even more difficult and the risk of punctures high. The landscape you cross is varied and at times truly spectacular.

After passing Meana di Susa, you enter a chestnut wood, and from this point, there is an impressive number of hairpin bends for about three kilometres. Still in the wood, you reach an altitude of 1452 m of Colletto di Meana, where the paved road ends. The most demanding part of the climb starts from here, despite the well-trodden surface. From this point onwards, the valley opens up and the landscape changes completely: the road climbs through pastures and woods. When there are only a few kilometres left to the pass, you begin to catch a glimpse of Forte delle Finestre, built in 1861 to control the important pass. Once you reach the pass, the view is truly spectacular.