Driving the legendary Via del Sale road to Colle del Garezzo

Colle del Garezzo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.795m (5,889ft) above sea level, located in the mountainous and hilly province of Imperia, in the Liguria region of Italy. 

Colle del Garezzo

Is Colle del Garezzo paved?

Located in the northern part of the country, the road is paved at first but then gravelled and it is somewhat bad around the pass height. The speed limit is 20km/h and this pass is included in the Via del Sale road. The road is officially closed from November 1st to March 31st every year. The pass is traversed by a long unlit tunnel of 70 meters. It is important to pay attention throughout the drive, because the road is largely unpaved. The track, called Strada Provinciale 2, must be traveled with extreme caution on any vehicle (best to avoid transit through common cars).

How challenging is Colle del Garezzo?

Colle del Garezzo links Arroscia and Argentina valleys. The climb measures 19.5 kms at 7%, with the last 7 kms on sterrato. The descent is perhaps harder, but it's all tarmac. It's 18 kms at 7.2%, with a few really steep kms.

When was the road through Colle del Garezzo built?

The Via del Sale is a Ligurian track built in the Middle Ages to transport salt from Ventimiglia to Limone Piemonte and from there to Turin. As a result, the road has been enlarged and many sections were magnified and transformed into military roads to connect the numerous forts located along the border between Italy and France. Today, it is a wonderful dirt road, which runs along the ridges of the Maritime Alps on the border between Italy to France, in a wild landscape and stunning views of the sea and the mountains. The road traversing the pass was used during the Second World War.


 


 

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