A Biker’s Base in Alta Val Susa
Alpine passes, sweeping bends and historic military roads
Some places are beautiful to visit.
Others seem to have been made to be ridden.
Alta Val Susa is one of them.
From Oulx, you can set off every morning in a different direction: towards a high Alpine pass, across the French border, along a scenic mountain road or onto one of the spectacular former military roads high in the mountains.
Within a few hours you can go from the valley floor to 2,000, 2,500 or even 3,000 metres, riding through forests, alpine valleys, old forts, mountain lakes and constantly changing scenery.
And at the end of the day, you come back to Oulx.
La Maison du Coeur can be your base for discovering Alta Val Susa by motorcycle.
🏍️ Road bikes: classic Alpine passes
Mont Cenis and the Haute Maurienne
A true Alpine classic.
Oulx → Susa → Mont Cenis Pass → Lanslebourg → Susa → Oulx
At around 2,080 metres, Mont Cenis Pass takes you from the Susa Valley into the French Haute Maurienne.
The mountain road, the lake and the high-altitude scenery make this a perfect full-day ride.
Curves, views and a genuine Alpine pass.
Montgenèvre, Briançon and Col de l’Échelle
Another fantastic loop:
Oulx → Cesana → Claviere → Montgenèvre → Briançon → Névache → Col de l’Échelle → Bardonecchia → Oulx
In one day you can cross from Italy into France, ride over Montgenèvre, stop in Briançon, then return through the Clarée Valley and over the Col de l’Échelle.
This is exactly why Oulx works so well as a motorcycle base.
You don’t have to ride the same roads every day.
Sestriere and Val Chisone
Oulx → Cesana → Sestriere → Pragelato → Fenestrelle → Val Chisone → Sestriere → Cesana → Oulx
A more Italian route, with plenty of bends, mountain scenery and traditional Alpine landscapes.
Sestriere, Pragelato and Val Chisone make a great alternative to the French passes.
The Colle dell’Agnello loop
For a longer day:
Oulx → Sestriere → Saluzzo → Casteldelfino → Colle dell’Agnello → Queyras → Briançon → Montgenèvre → Oulx
At over 2,700 metres, Colle dell’Agnello is one of the great Alpine border passes between Italy and France.
It is a route to plan carefully, particularly because mountain passes are subject to seasonal opening dates and weather conditions.
But for a full day in the saddle, it is hard to beat.
🏔️ Adventure bikes and off-road riding
With an adventure bike, you can discover another side of Alta Val Susa.
This is the world of the historic high-altitude military roads.
Built to connect forts and military positions, these roads are now among the most spectacular routes for adventure riders.
Some of the best-known are Assietta, Pramand, Jafferau, Sommeiller and Colle delle Finestre.
🏍️ The Forts Road: Pramand, Saracens’ Tunnel and Jafferau
One of the classic adventure rides in the area:
Oulx → Eclause → Fort Pramand → Saracens’ Tunnel → Fort Jafferau → Bardonecchia → Oulx
The military road reaches Fort Pramand, crosses the spectacular Seguret Tunnel, known as the Saracens’ Tunnel, around 900 metres long, and continues towards Fort Jafferau, at around 2,800 metres.
This is more than a ride.
It is a journey through the military history of the valley, with hairpins, tunnels, forts and huge mountain views.
One of those rides you are unlikely to forget.
Always check current access rules, opening dates and road conditions before setting off. High-altitude military roads can be subject to seasonal restrictions and closure days.
🏍️ Rochemolles and Colle del Sommeiller
Oulx → Bardonecchia → Rochemolles → Rochemolles Lake → Colle del Sommeiller → return
The road gradually takes you deeper into the high mountains.
You ride up through the Rochemolles Valley, pass the lake and continue towards Colle del Sommeiller, reaching around 3,000 metres.
It is one of the great historic high-altitude routes of Alta Val Susa.
Here the motorcycle becomes almost a passport to a landscape that would otherwise feel incredibly remote.
🏍️ The Assietta Grand Loop
Oulx → Cesana → Sestriere → Assietta Road → Colle delle Finestre → Susa → Oulx
The Assietta Road is one of the highlights of adventure motorcycling in Piedmont.
The former military ridge road links the Colle delle Finestre area with Sestriere and runs for around 60 km, largely above 2,000 metres. Turismo Torino lists a motorcycle itinerary of approximately 140 km.
You don’t come here just for the riding.
You come for the ridge, the views over the Susa and Chisone valleys, the military remains and the feeling of riding above the valleys.
🏍️ A motorcycle weekend in the mountains
With several days available, you can turn these routes into a real adventure tour.
Day 1: Assietta and Colle delle Finestre.
Day 2: Pramand, Saracens’ Tunnel and Jafferau.
Day 3: Rochemolles and Colle del Sommeiller.
There is no need to squeeze everything into one day.
That is the beauty of it:
Oulx becomes your starting point and your base after every ride.
Why choose Oulx?
Because from here, every day can be different.
France?
Montgenèvre and Briançon.
Big Alpine passes?
Mont Cenis, Agnel, Izoard.
Military roads?
Assietta, Jafferau, Pramand, Sommeiller.
Mountain scenery?
Sestriere, Bardonecchia, Rochemolles.
And after a day on the bike, you return to Oulx, park up and enjoy the evening.
The mountains from the saddle
Perhaps this is what makes motorcycle travel so special.
You don’t simply cross a landscape.
You experience it.
The bends.
The changing altitude.
The cooler air.
The view opening up around a hairpin.
A fort appearing unexpectedly.
A lake.
A mountain pass.
A valley on the other side of the ridge.
Every bend can become part of the journey.
La Maison du Coeur: your motorcycle base
If you are looking for a base from which to explore Alta Val Susa by motorcycle, Oulx is ideally placed for building a different route every day.
Road riding, adventure riding, Alpine passes, France and historic military roads.
You don’t have to choose just one experience.
You can discover the whole valley, one bend at a time.