The Duke pass and the Carsene basin

This itinerary follows a military road realised during the thirties with the construction of the "Alpine Valley". The old road, now a path, is a stimulating route which from the heart of the Nature Park conduces till the border with France, crossing the splendid karstic plateaus of the Carsene Basin.

You start from the shelter of Pian delle Gorre and you proceed on the unsurfaced road on the left. After about 1,5 km (30 minutes) you reach a junction in the place Saut (near the beautiful falls) and you turn right, crossing two footbridges on the Sestrera and Marguareis valleys.

From here the path enters the Silver fir wood of the Prel and goes slowly up till reaching the Gias degli Arpi (1 h 30 minutes) where you can supply water.

Then you enter the Valley of the Arpi and you reach the nice meadow hillock of the Colle del Prel with broad winding roads (2 h 30 minutes).

You still go up and after leaving the deviation on the left for the Marguareis Valley and the Garelli shelter, you reach the Duke Pass at 2000 (3h), natural entry towards the karstic complex of the Carsene Basin.

From here the path goes along the rock with wide view on the valley and flanks one of the many depths present in the area (attention!).

Then you reach the meadow basin of the Gias dell'Ortica (3 h 30 minutes); now it is possible: - to proceed on the left on the old road till the hut Morgantini (4h 15 minutes), where the other connection road of the albertine fortification coming from the Colle di Tenda (Limone -Monesi road) arrives - turn decisively on the right and take the path of the Baban Pass, stimulating passage among the rocks (attention exposed path!) which goes to the Vaccarile Valley.

You start going down till Gias Fontana (4 h 30 min), after a footbridge with a nice fall and in less than half an hour you return to Pian delle Gorre (5 h).

The cycle route follows upon return the exactly going up itinerary since the Baban Pass is prohibited and dangerous for mountain bike.