Alps of Piedmont and Hautes-Alpes

The Cottian and Maritime Alps separate Piedmont from the French Riviera. Compared to the Dolomites or Mont Blanc, these mountains are almost completely unknown to international visitors — and that is precisely their charm.

This transnational journey through Italy and France explores some of the Alps' most remote and unspoiled corners. Known for its limestone peaks rising above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), vast forests, crystal-clear streams, and alpine lakes, this region remains remarkably untouched. We hike through the secluded Valle Stretta, the Vallée de la Clarée, and the even quieter Val Troncea - a valley where time seems to stand still. The trails are maintained by local communities and offer genuine encounters with mountain life as it has been lived for centuries. The silence, the absence of crowds, and the extraordinary beauty of the landscape combine to create a deeply restorative experience.

Culturally, the region is shaped by its little-known Occitan heritage—a rich blend of language, traditions, and cuisine stretching from the valleys of western Italy to Catalonia in Spain. Along the way, we savor its distinctive cuisine and admire the quaint stone architecture of its mountain villages.

In the Maritime Alps, at the southernmost edge of the Alpine chain, only a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea and the glamorous Côte d'Azur, you'll be astonished to discover such wilderness, and high-alpine scenery. At first glance the landscape appears rugged and austere, but as you venture deeper into its valleys, waterfalls, alpine lakes, wild streams, and even small glaciers gradually reveal themselves. Hiking here feels like stepping into the unknown: a landscape of jagged peaks, forgotten villages, and shimmering mountain light, where, as night falls, you may hear the howl of a wolf pack echoing in the distance.