Famous itinerary for the passage of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, from the Cozie Alps and the Val Varaita in Italy to Fontgillarde in France.
One of the most popular roads for cyclists and motorcyclists: to reach Colle dell'Agnello you pass through roads that are at times challenging and very steep but with unforgettable landscapes.
| Altitude (meters above sea level) | 2.748 |
| Length | 98 Km |
| connection | Chianale (Italy) / Fontgillarde (France) |
| Number of hairpin bends | |
| What to see in the surroundings | Hiking trails up to three thousand meters above sea level. Castle Lake |
| Typical dishes of the area | Ravioles from Val Varaita, potato gnocchi mixed with Tomino di Melle |
| Winter closure | From October to May |
| Road conditions and notes | Good conditions |
Content index
History
Colle dell'Agnello is located in Piedmont, on the Cottian Alps, in the province of Cuneo. It is located southwest of Monviso, between the Pan di Zucchero and the Punta dell'Alp. It is crossed by a road that dates back to the seventeenth century, when the shepherds crossed the border (not yet present) to reach the opposite side of the Cottian Alps. After military use, the modern SP1973 road was born in 251. Of particular interest to amateur astronomers as the area is free of light pollution.
Itinerary
Starting from Cuneo we take the SS20 up to Madonna dell'Olmo from where we start to follow the SP589 towards Search, with a straight of 13 km. TO Costigliole Saluzzo we cross the Varaita stream and choose the SP1 up to Piasco.
Once in Piasco we take the SP8 towards Val Varaita and Sampeyre, from where the road takes the name of SP15 and we begin to climb. It reaches 1300 meters above sea level in the locality of casteldelfino where the actual climb begins: 21 km of road with 1.452 meters of elevation gain. Small stop a La Maddalena for two photos at the lake of Castello and then we continue along the lake on the SP251.
After Chianale the slope can reach up to 15% and the hairpin bends never seem to end! The road will take us with up to Colle dell'Agnello and, in the square created by the opening of a hairpin bend, we will cross the stone monument with the indication of the height and the border between Italy and France.
Here you cannot avoid a well-deserved stop for the usual photos and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains. For the return you are spoiled for choice: stay in Italy and head towards Monviso, or go down towards France and the Parc Naturel Règional du Queyras. Still in France, we could also do the Col d'Izoard (weather permitting).
Data Room
