We are in the heart of the Alpi Maritime Nature Park, the largest in Piedmont and one of the largest in Italy: twinned since 1987 with the adjoining Park French national team of Mercantour, forms a protected area of 100,000 hectares, which in 1993 obtained the European Diploma for the Environment.
The proposed excursion allows you to easily reach the Franco Remondino Hut, at the base of the wild and articulated southern slope of Argentera, in a great high mountain environment.
The wildlife aspect is also particularly interesting: you can see chamois, marmots, eagles, and with a bit of luck also the mouflon. Finally, the climatic influence of the sea, distant as the crow flies only about forty kilometers, favored the development of a particular “subMediterranean” flora, with species in some cases unique.
From the Terme di Valdieri (33 km from Cuneo) continue by car for a few more kilometers along the road that leads, exactly in the direction south, in the Valletta Valley, as far as the road is passable: Piano della Casa, altitude 1743 meters.
We then set out on the continuation of the road, which soon turns into a mule track, keeping on the right river slope of the valley.
Then the mule track bends to the left (east) climbing on the steep slope to a small shelf. After crossing a stream, on less steep ground you reach a crossroads, where it is necessary to follow the path to the left (continuing straight you would arrive at the Colle del Mercantour, on the border with France).
After crossing the stream, the path leads with numerous and tiring hairpin bends at the base of the rocky rise on which the refuge stands, reachable finally with a last steep stretch on the left: Franco Remondino Hut, 2430 meters altitude, 2 hours from the Floor of the House.
The return takes place along the same path as the climb and takes 1.15 hours.
Built in a severe glacial valley, with typical mountainous rocks that testify to the past expansion of the glacier, the hut has 50 beds. The telephone number of the shelter: Tel. 0171.97 327 Email address of the shelter: info@rifugioremondino.it

Contact details of CAI Cuneo, owner of the shelter : Tel. 0171.67 998
A guide to the most famous shelters in the Alps:
L. Bersezio, P. Tirone, “Going for shelters”, I. G. De Agostini, Novara

, 1988 Journey: 3.15 hours
Starting altitude: m. 1743
Difference in altitude: 687 m
Difficulty: E - Hiking
Recommended period: June - September

Region: Piedmont
Province: Cuneo
Valle/area: Gesso Valley

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