Camping Gran Bosco di Salbertrand

Salbertrand sits in the Dora Riparia valley between Oulx and Susa. Behind it is the Gran Bosco, a big conifer forest inside the Parchi Alpi Cozie system. The campground backs onto that forest, which makes for cool nights and quiet mornings. That’s welcome after a day of washboard and hairpins on the Assietta. Expect a small-town Alpine campground: pitches for tents, vans and caravans, with the usual Italian setup of shared facilities. It’s busiest in July and August and around Ferragosto, so book ahead or call first. It’s seasonal, generally summer only, so confirm it’s open before you aim your rig at it.

The valley floor gives you the easy leg. From here you can run up to the Assietta ridge via Pragelato or Sestriere. You can also drop down to Susa and the Colle delle Finestre side. The ridge road is gravel and closed to traffic in winter, and it usually opens around late June. Weekends see a lot of bikes and cars, so run it midweek if you can. Check fees, opening dates and pitch availability directly with the site, because we haven’t verified them. Have a dirty day.

Forest-edge basecamp below the Assietta ridge