The Southern Piedmont Alps are not so well known in the World but it is one of the most beautiful place where to do Hiking. Monviso, with its 3800 meters of altitude above the sea is called the King of Stone and its majestic Peak is saw from all over in the North west, in the mountains and not only. Hiking in the Monviso area is an amazing experience and you can do it from 1 to 5 days without problems. Pian del Re is the place where the Po river start, the longest river in Italy and is located at 2000 meters and only 1hour and half drive from Torino. Tour of Monviso is offered in Trekking Alps but it is also possible to arrange less days like in this case, just a night in the shelter at 2700 meters with the Monviso in front of us. Another valley we visited in the September is Gesso Valley in the Maritime Alps. It is a wonderful place where the mountains are very high and rocky. Hiking here is like being in the middle of the Himalaya sometimes. Huge walls and rock formations and beautiful mountain scenery. Gesso Valley has more local tourism and is perfect place if you want to experience a more authentic mountain village life. Not so many foreigners know this valleys and the locals hardly speak any english. They actually speak the occitanian language, the ancient France, together with Piedmontese dialect. Hiking in this place it is a bit like a travel in time.
