Punta del Cavallo

The Punta del Cavallo is a formidable reason to experience this extraordinary, albeit only five-kilometre-long mountain route. Even the entrance is worth discovering. It branches off to the north in the village of Borgata Bals, but not just anywhere, but right at the top of a hairpin bend. You have to come up with an idea like that first, especially without any signposting. Once you have found the spot, the fun really begins. The road winds its way up the steep southern slope in narrow hairpin bends, sometimes very tightly. No asphalt has been used, instead the surface consists of a mixture of gravel, clay and grass. This mixture turns into soft soap when wet and should therefore only be ridden on dry days. Edge protections are also largely absent. 

So why should you do the whole thing anyway? At the 2290-metre summit, you really do feel a little closer to God, and not just because of the statue of the Virgin Mary there. The views on offer are phenomenal. You can see both the 3841-metre-high Monviso and the shimmering Lago di Castello in the valley. 

Editor's tip: Before the last hairpin bend to Punta del Cavallo, the almost one kilometer long passage to Punta della Battaglia branches off to the left.