The best MTB trails in Bardonecchia - Val Fredda

Up to here, a large part of the descent is normally done while riding, although you have to be careful on the sections eroded by water and also pay a lot of attention to the many marmot burrows... beautiful traps!. Shortly after the beautiful stone with the Dauphiné symbol, which centuries ago, like now, marked the border, the path gradually begins to "disappear" into the valley, the technical sections begin!

Once you reach the Colomion pass, this long traverse begins. Besides the ever-widening panorama as you ascend, it also offers less prohibitive gradients and long stretches, especially in the initial part, that are almost flat. If you've made it this far, you'll surely appreciate them!

This is the first hamlet you encounter leaving Savoulx. A hamlet almost entirely renovated in an admirable way, leaving the old houses as intact as possible, on some of which appear dates, dating back to the first half of the 1800s, two and a half centuries of history! The arrival at the hamlet is also marked by the appearance of some dry stone walls, a reminder of a time when fields were also cultivated on this mountain. The arrival at the hamlet also breaks the monotony of the path, which for almost half an hour has crossed a rather uniform pine forest with a predominantly flat route. In the hamlet there is a beautiful fountain, ideal for refreshment.

The fortification was erected between 1885 and 1894, with the aim of monitoring the outlet of the Frejus railway tunnel in anticipation of a possible French attack. During the First World War, its artillery was requisitioned and moved to the Austro-Hungarian front, while on the eve of the Second World War, it was incorporated into the fortified system of the Alpine Wall. It was then requisitioned by the Germans and completely dismantled after the end of hostilities. It remained abandoned for a long time, until, starting in 1995, a recovery project was initiated, still partly ongoing, equipping the structure with a museum and a guided tour. The road that reaches it from the valley floor is yet another demonstration of the construction skills of military engineering: the dirt road gains altitude with gentle hairpin bends, bordered by dry stone walls that are still perfectly in place. Near Grange Bersac, it passes a charming little church, shortly after the route leaves the woods and ends in wide meadows near another beautiful little church, dedicated to St. Anne. From here, the dirt road splits: straight ahead leads to Pian del Sole and the Bardonecchia MTB circuit, while climbing towards Colomion, turning right, a final short climb reaches the fort. The view of Guglia Rossa and the Re Magi (Three Wise Men) group, which dominate the Bardonecchia basin, is magnificent.

It's the most scenic part of the descent. Incredible...

A very beautiful stretch to cycle which leads from the basins to the road to the Scarfiotti refuge and then to the Sommeiller pass.

The area is very beautiful with a view of the lake

The descent is difficult but the landscape is beautiful