{"id":3745,"date":"2026-03-26T16:27:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T16:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michelanellevalli.com\/the-salt-road-in-the-maritime-alps-the-path-connecting-the-sea-to-the-mountains\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T09:44:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T09:44:38","slug":"the-salt-road-in-the-maritime-alps-the-path-connecting-the-sea-to-the-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michelanellevalli.com\/en\/the-salt-road-in-the-maritime-alps-the-path-connecting-the-sea-to-the-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"The Salt Road in the Maritime Alps: the path connecting the sea to the mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello Valley Wanderers!<\/p>\n\n

There are roads we travel today by choice, but which once existed out of necessity.The Salt Road<\/strong> is one of these: an ancient network of connections that linked the sea to the mountains, creating a continuous thread between the Ligurian coast and the Piedmont hinterland.<\/p>\n\n

In this article, we delve into the meaning of these routes, their path through the Maritime Alps<\/strong>, who traveled them and why, all the way to the present day\u2014when they have become one of the most fascinating trails to experience on foot or by bicycle.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Here is my promo video for the Salt Road!<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

What are the Salt Roads<\/h2>\n\n

When we talk about the “Salt Road,” we don’t mean a single road, but a network of historic routes that, for centuries, connected the Mediterranean with the Alpine regions and the Po Valley.<\/p>\n\n

Salt was a fundamental resource: it was needed to preserve food, for animal feed, and for many daily activities. Precisely for this reason, it was subject to very strict taxes and controls. <\/p>\n\n

Thus, the Salt Roads were born: trails used for transporting this precious commodity, but also for other commercial exchanges. They were routes of passage, but also of survival. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n

The Salt Road in the Maritime Alps<\/h2>\n\n

Among the most well-known today is the one that crosses the Maritime Alps<\/strong>, a route suspended between Piedmont, Liguria, and France.<\/p>\n\n

This route ideally starts from the coastal areas of Liguria\u2014between Imperia and Ventimiglia\u2014and climbs inland, crossing valleys and ridges until it reaches the highest mountains.<\/p>\n\n

One of the most iconic stretches is the one connecting:<\/p>\n\n