15.7
PDI
8.1 mi
DISTANCE
2,675 ft
GAINED
6.2 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Most riders heading for the Gran Paradiso turn up the Valle Orco toward the Nivolet. The Valle Soana, one valley over, is the one they miss - and that's the reason to ride it. The road follows the river past villages of stone houses with stone-slab roofs, the traffic thins out with every kilometer, and it ends at Piamprato, a cluster of houses and a small ski area in a meadow under the peaks on the Valle d'Aosta border.
It's 13 km (8.1 mi) with 815 m (2675 ft) of climbing at 6.2%, from 737 m to 1549 m, but almost all of the work is at the end. The first 8 km to Valprato Soana barely get above 6%, a long, easy warm-up beside the Soana. Then the road turns into the Piamprato valley and gets serious: 9.2% straight out of Valprato, a short reprieve, then 10.6% for the two kilometers after that before the road eases into the village.
The top is quiet. Piamprato has an 18th-century church of San Grato and the chairlift to the Rifugio Rosa dei Banchi, which in summer has run on weekends only (late June to late July in 2025). Bring what you need, enjoy the meadow, and save something for the descent, which is quick on the top section and pleasantly gentle all the way back down the valley.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Our route climbs 13 km (8.1 mi) from 737 m (2419 ft) to 1549 m (5082 ft), with 815 m (2675 ft) of climbing at an average of 6.2%.
km 0-4: 3.6 to 5.4% - up the Soana valley toward Ronco Canavese
km 4-7: 5 to 6.3% - through Ronco Canavese
km 7-8: 3.8% - into Valprato Soana
km 8-9: 9.2% - turning up the Piamprato valley
km 9-10: 6.6%
km 10-12: 10.6% - the hardest stretch
km 12-13: 5.2% into Piamprato
From Valprato Soana the last 5 km average 8.5%. The steepest 2 km, from km 10 to 12, average 10.6%.
Roadway: Asphalt the whole way, on the SP 47 up the valley and then the narrower road up the side valley from Valprato Soana to Piamprato, where the road ends. The lower valley is a typical Alpine provincial road, with landslide repairs here and there after storms. Above Valprato the road is narrower and steeper, and the corners can hold gravel, so take the descent from Piamprato steadily.
Traffic: Light. There's no way through, so what you'll meet is residents, hikers heading for the Gran Paradiso trails and, on summer weekends, people driving up to Piamprato for the chairlift.
Parking: Park in one of the villages near the start, or in Ronco Canavese if you'd rather skip the easy lower valley - you'll still get all the hard climbing. At the top, the ski area at Piamprato is the obvious place to meet a support car.
Gear: Ride the first 8 km on whatever gear feels easy and keep the low ones for the end: the steep kilometers out of Valprato and the 10.6% stretch near the top are where a compact with a 32 or 34 tooth cog pays off. At 1550 m it's noticeably cooler than the valley, so carry a layer for the descent.
Provisions: Stock up before you head up the valley - Pont Canavese, at the mouth of the valley, has the most shops. Services thin out quickly in the upper Valle Soana, and Piamprato itself has very little open outside summer weekends and the ski season. The Rifugio Rosa dei Banchi at 1874 m serves food, but it's at the top of the chairlift, not on the road.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
The Valle Soana is one of the quietest corners of Gran Paradiso National Park - Valprato Soana counts fewer than 100 residents across a territory of more than 70 km². Ingria, at the start, is a tiny stone village of about 46 people, where the "Le case raccontano" panels on the old houses turn the center into an open-air museum. In the next side valley, Campiglia Soana is the start of the walk to the Sanctuary of San Besso at 2047 m, where the valley's patron saint is celebrated on 10 August.
If you have a second day, the Valle Orco is the next valley west: our Colle del Nivolet (Locana) and Lago di Teleccio pages start from there, and Teleccio in particular makes a tough, quiet pairing with Piamprato.
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