Driving the challenging Via dei Saraceni to Monte Seguret in the Cottian Alps
Monte Seguret is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.204m (7,230ft) above sea level, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin of Italy. The road to the pass is called Via dei Saraceni.
Where is Monte Seguret?
The pass is located in the Piedmont region, in the northern part of the country, near the French border.
Is the road to Monte Seguret unpaved?
The road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Via dei Saraceni, also known as Strada militare Fenil-Pramand-Föens-Jafferau and Strada militare 79. It was built in 1886. The road follows a route among several forts.
How challenging is the road to Monte Seguret?
This dirt track unfolds for over 20 km, almost entirely over 2.000 meters above the sea level. It includes several hairpin and tunnels. It’s extremely narrow and has very challenging drop-offs. The slope of the road is less than 12%, and the width is around 3 meters. There are some fairly rocky sections, not hard but difficult in most cars. A 4x4 vehicle is recommended. The trail is prone to rockfalls, so can be tricky in places.
Is the road to Monte Seguret open in winter?
Set high in the Cottian Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps, the road through the summit climbs many mountain passes, including Colletto Pramand (2.087m above sea level) and Monte Jafferau (2.805 m above sea level). It’s open from May to October. If the weather is bad, you would not consider it.
Pic: Rafał Kudriawcew