Sauze Di Cesana: Mountain Landscapes, Winter Trails and Culture
Accommodation in Sauze Di Cesana
Sauze di Cesana at 1,560 metres
Sauze di Cesana lies at an altitude of 1,560 m at the foot of Monte Sises on Provincial Road 215.
Valle Argentera is a water-rich valley with pastures, surrounded by ridges and old Alpine farmsteads.
File:Sauze di Cesana - Chiesa di San Restituto - 2025-09-29 16-01-58 002.jpeg
Photo: Federico_Milesi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Valle Argentera: Pastures, Ridges and Old Alpine Farmsteads
Valle Argentera is home to six habitat types protected at community level. These include larch–stone pine woodland, alpine base-rich meadows, rhododendron and bilberry scrub, and subarctic willow scrub.
Sentiero Balcone and Mountain Bike Routes
The Sentiero Balcone follows old paths and connects Sauze di Cesana with the surrounding hamlets, extending as far as Valle Argentera.
The Cima Bosco mountain bike loop starts and ends in Sauze di Cesana. It is 19.5 km long, rated difficult and has 922 metres of elevation gain. The combination of distance, difficulty and elevation gain clearly defines the route.
A mountain bike route leads from Sauze di Cesana to Cimabosco and back; experienced riders can extend it as far as Thures.
On the route from Gran Queyron and Cima Frappier, Trail 605 crosses a wide pastureland to Passo della Longia at an altitude of 2,817 m.
Winter Activities Along the Stream and on the Mountain Slopes
Today, cross-country skiing, ski touring and snowshoeing take place on the valley floor along the Ripa stream and on the slopes of Monte Cimabosco between Sauze di Cesana and the hamlet of Rollieres. These three activities use the winter landscape in different ways: gliding on cross-country skis, ascending on ski tours or walking with snowshoes.
The waterfalls in Valle Argentera, which freeze in winter, are a destination for visitors interested in ice climbing.
San Restituto and Church History
The Church of San Restituto stands outside the town centre on a steep slope opposite the Clivio stream. Its distinctive bell tower belongs to the Dauphiné-Romanesque architectural type, which is typical of religious buildings in the upper valley.
The Church of San Restituto is already mentioned in Bishop Cuniberto’s charter from 1065. It was used by the three neighbouring parishes of Sauze di Cesana, Champlas du Col and Rollieres.
In 1771, the parish’s pastoral functions were transferred to the Chapel of San Giacomo in Sauze di Cesana.
During the feast day of San Restituto, the community of Sauze di Cesana gathers at the Church of San Restituto for an old celebration of faith and tradition.
The Strada Reale di Francia
The Strada Reale di Francia follows the traces of older routes and connects Sauze di Cesana with Rollieres and the three Champlas villages. In some sections, the Strada Reale di Francia runs along today’s provincial road.
More destinations: Roure, Claviere, Usseaux, Susa, Bruzolo, Busano, Ruà, Bobbio Pellice
To the main travel overview: Turin.
