The forts of Colle di Tenda – loop tour

A fairly long hike, but almost always on former military roads and with splendid views available. It should therefore be done on clear and dry days, perhaps better if autumnal, so that the view can range over both sides, Italian and French. Having reached Fort Taborda we opted to continue and go around the crest above that leads, always on a former military dirt road, to Becco Rosso. Once this bypass was completed, the path reaches a gias, then becomes a trail (always marked with yellow marks and a few stakes) and goes up the Vallone Magènora (which separates Fort Taborda from Fort Pepino) to reach the pass on the crest. This is a difficult climb and necessarily limited in the view, so the option of the crest that originates near Fort Taborda is certainly preferable. On the way back we went down the steep slope that from Becco Rosso leads back to the Via del Sale. After a few dozen meters the path (rather "bold") forks. In the colder months it is better to keep left, as the track, all in the sun, is less subject to frost and is also less exposed. Paying attention, halfway down it is possible to switch back to the alternative track, at this point no longer in the shade but, as it has comfortable hairpin bends, decidedly more comfortable for descending a steep slope.