Bardonecchia: Take It Easy

We have breakfast in the Chalet, prepare our backpack for our hike, and get the water bottle ready, as soon as the temperature is warm, we will leave Sestriere and head in the direction of Bardonecchia.
Be careful driving, these are mountain roads.
Bardonecchia is particularly renowned for skiing, but during the summer there are beautiful walks in the green Alps.

We park at Rifugio Terzo Alpini and take our backpack and continue on foot to reach Green Lake.
To park, you can alternatively use the nearby Refuge i Re Magi.

Green Lake is located about 10 km from Bardonecchia: crystal clear, emerald green waters.
The color is due to the presence of algae; take the time to go all the way around it and breathe in the clean, high mountain air with your lungs.
If you are wondering what altitude we are at ... 1834 meters above sea level. But despite the altitude, the route does not present any particular difficulty.
The circuit takes about 45 minutes, passing through a coniferous forest.
A curiosity: we are on French territory, but previously the Lake belonged to Italy :)
The cross-border crossing is "virtual," there is no customs control

After a hike like this you're going to be really hungry! Stop at the hut and replenish your minerals with a good beer and start with an appetizer of cold cuts and cheese.
Don't miss the excellent polenta, too!
OPENING: The hut is open from mid-June to mid-September and on some occasions, even in winter. Check the website

Open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm this two-seater sled on rails is sure to help you digest your lunch! The 1,000m descent is within the forest and suitable for both adults and children.
You can choose to purchase a single ride, or a carnet of 10 rides.
Here the official website to check prices and details.
There is also a Bardonecchia Adventure Park for all tastes. See the official website.

Before reaching our accommodation, we take a walk around this archaeological site, not particularly striking as an architectural type but the scenic setting is certainly worth a walk.
Leave your car at the end of the road, along the roadway making sure not to annoy the inhabitants and take the path.

It is not a real 'gorge' but nature expresses itself in all its beauty between rocks and the turquoise water of the river. You can leave your car along the road and go for a short walk. And then we go for a snack.

Sweet and savory, wine tasting, cold cuts. You choose how to snack.
For sure, I feel like recommending a good cold beer to replenish the minerals we lost during our long walk.
The restaurant is open every day except Wednesday from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

Use this time to unplug and enjoy the unspoiled nature of the Piedmont Alps.
The place doesn't offer much nighttime activity so no good nights, except for the spectacle of the black sky typical of the high mountains, the sounds of animals coming out to hunt, and the wonderful starry sky scenery that can be admired from here.