GermanToday we drove up Colle del Prete from Sanfront. After passing the small village of La Rua, there is a sign posted by the municipality which, as we interpret it, indicates that the road was built solely for agricultural use, that off-road traffic should be avoided, but that the road is open to everyone. There is no actual “No Entry” sign posted. Beyond this sign, the route to the first summit features a very difficult section with gradients of up to 45° in places and medium-sized scree lying loosely on the road. Without a ground clearance of at least 30 cm or more and good tires, this section is impassable. After reaching the first summit, Colle di Gilba, the road narrows; in some places, it is only about 2.20 m wide or less. On the valley side, the slope is often unpaved and descends very steeply for several hundred meters. If a vehicle is coming in the opposite direction, you may have to back up several hundred meters in some places, as there are few “passing spots” where vehicles can pass each other. After reaching the Colle del Prete summit, the road becomes very scenic and easy to drive on. Overall, it’s safe to say that this route is definitely not of medium difficulty but rather difficult, and it is definitely not suitable for beginners. Compared to other routes marked as difficult—such as the Colle del Sommeiler—this route is significantly more difficult and technically demanding. Without a certain amount of off-road driving experience and the right vehicle, this route is impossible to tackle for SUVs and motorcycles. We also strongly recommend riding with a “co-pilot.”
Colle del Prete | Colle del Gilba
Not far from the Italian-French border, you can add two mountain passes to your collection on this route and at the same time build up your experience on loose surfaces, as the mountain trail has largely been laid out as a gravel road. From Sanfront, the northern ramp leads up into the impressive mountain landscape, initially on asphalt with a few hairpin bends and a number of curves. Soon afterwards, the road surface becomes more and more frayed and the next tight hairpin bends have to be mastered on gravel. There are also many potholes. The degree of difficulty increases considerably as the route progresses. Some sections are very steep and there is also a lot of scree.
As soon as you reach the 1528 meter high Colle del Gilba with its small refuge, you can breathe a sigh of relief. From here, the road becomes noticeably easier to ride on. The next two kilometers to the 1716-meter-high Colle del Prete are still a little nasty in places, but all in all the worst is over by the time you reach the small chapel. The southern ramp to Sampeyre in the Valle del Po then has much less gravel and is much easier overall.
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Conditions, closures and tips — from members who drove here recently.
As already described, we rode from north to south. Inexperienced riders with heavy bikes should definitely avoid the steep climbs there, which are covered in lots of coarse gravel! These sections in this direction are considered difficult! But once you’ve made it past that part, it’s a fantastic route!
https://alpenrouten.de/Gilba-Colle-del_point1277.html Between Sampeyre (SW) and Sanfront (NE), a narrow, mostly unpaved route leads over the Colle del Prete and the Colle del Gilba. The southern ramp coming from Sampéyre is quite rideable up to the summit (SG 3), but the section leading to Colle del Gilba, located just under 3 km to the north, is in poorer condition: The path, which is very narrow in places, features large rocks and sections of scree in washed-out areas, and several stream crossings must be navigated. The subsequent northern approach into the Valle del Po is also a fairly rough gravel path. For the sake of completeness, the third ascent should also be mentioned: A paved road leads from the Gilba Valley to Borgata Danna. The subsequent short stretch of trail to the summit is, however, the worst option of all. (SG 4-5).
https://alpenrouten.de/Prete-Colle-del_point1276.html Between Sampeyre (SW) and Sanfront (NE), a narrow, partly unpaved “road” leads over the Colle del Prete and the Colle del Gilba. The southern ramp coming from Sampéyre is quite rideable up to the summit (SG3), but the section leading to Colle del Gilba, located just under 3 km to the north, is in poorer condition: The path, which is very narrow in places, features large rocks and sections of scree in washed-out areas, and several stream crossings must be navigated. The subsequent northern ramp into the Valle del Po is also a fairly rough gravel path.
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