Limonetto – Palanfrè

Limonetto 1294 m – Passo di Ciotto Mieu 2274 m – Palanfrè 1379 m

You begin the crossing of the Maritime Alps, leaving the main branch of the Val Vermegnana and descending into the Vallone degli Alberghi: here you have clear signs of the wild beauty that characterizes the group of the Argentera and the mountains beyond. The upper Vallone degli Alberghi, along with the beechwood of Palanfrè that you will walk past in the last part of the hike, is a natural Reserve.

From the square of the church of Limonetto you follow a cart track that goes south, and after less than a quarter of an hour you take the branch marked L12 on the right that runs alongside the stream, touches the Ciabot di Pedů 1679 and enters the valley that goes towards west leads to the Giotto Mieu. After passing Pian Madoro 1785 m and a hundred meters higher, you go up a valley on its orographic left and you soon reach a small plateau at 2000 m. From here, mainly keeping to the bottom of the valley, follow the path, more evident in the steeper sections, which lead to a small basin at the base of the evident notch in the hill. To reach the hill, turn right onto the steep grassy slope towards a rock which you then leave on the left to climb a little further and finally oblique to the Passo di Ciotto Mieu 2274 m; 3.00 hours. The view ranges from the Marguareis mountains to those of Argentera; on the Val Grande side the Alberghi lake appears and towards the south the severe rocky pillars of M. Frisson and M. Chiamossero. You descend over easy rocks (being careful not to slip on the debris flakes that sometimes cover them, and not to move stones if you are in a group) and then over debris, towards Lago degli Alberghi 2038 m, sunken between rocky blocks. Here you take the mule track at the bottom of the valley which descends slightly at first and then more steeply, in hairpin bends, while the tree vegetation increases. Around 1600 m you enter a narrow gorge which you descend in hairpin bends, to exit about 150 m lower. You continue almost flat on the left side, higher and higher on the valley floor, and finally skirt the Palanfrè beech forest, on the left: it is a narrow wooded area with a high density of plants and with specimens even over 300 years of age, relics of an original forest cover that must have been large. We are now at the gates of Palanfrè 1379 m; 2.15 hours. Stopover at the L’Arbergh Hiking Refuge