I had a work meeting in Rome, so I stopped on the way in Val Susa for a last hike in the Alps this season and some autumn colors.
The train line between Lyon and Torino runs perfectly fine, and there’s indeed no need for a second one. No TAV!
Camping, even bivouac, seems pretty controlled in natural parks in Italy, so I had to day-hike and camp in town. Pra Vey in Oulx is open year-round.
On Day 1, I found the golden larches in the Sauze d’Oulx ski resort actually more beautiful than the more famous Gran Bosco di Salbertrand. Hiking off-trail with more open views was fun, and the ski infrastructure was not too ugly.
On Day 2, I took a local bus at random, stopped in Cesana, and hiked back through a much wilder area with gorgeous views on the snowy Mont Chaberton.
Fun fact: Italians cut out the top of Mont Chaberton (3131 m) before World War I to install 8 canons pointing at France. The Paris Treaty of 1947 moved the border slightly to make sure it won’t happen again.
