Limone Piemonte

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Riserva Bianca, Alta Via del Sale, Maritime Alps Protected Areas, Trenitalia, SNCF, Piedmont Region

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Limone Piemonte is a town in the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont, north-west Italy, at the head of the Vermenagna valley. It is the last Italian town before the Col de Tende (Colle di Tenda) and the French border. The town sits at about 1,010 m; the hamlet of Limonetto, higher up, is at about 1,300 m, and the lifts reach 2,085 m. Cuneo is 26 km away (half an hour by car), Turin about 123 km (1 hour 45 minutes).

Limone is the closest Italian ski resort to the French Riviera: with the Tende road tunnel open, Nice is about 100 km away (1 hour 50 minutes) and Nice airport about 110 km. The town also has its own railway station on the scenic Cuneo–Limone–Ventimiglia line. One thing to know before you plan: in autumn 2026 the tunnel is closed until 29 October, and when it reopens traffic runs one way at a time, controlled by traffic lights, with limited hours.

In winter you come for the Riserva Bianca ski area: 80 km of runs and 16 lifts, reached from the town, from Quota 1400 and from Limonetto. People have skied here since 1937, and the women’s World Cup raced here in the early 1980s. In summer there is Lake Terrasole, the forts on the Col de Tende, the Alta Via del Sale gravel road towards Liguria and, less than an hour away, the Maritime Alps Natural Park. Limone belongs to the Alpine Pearls network of Alpine resorts focused on car-free travel.

Limone is not a purpose-built resort but a real village, with an old centre, a medieval church and small hamlets along the main road. The sights are in the village, on the Col de Tende and in the valleys above the slopes.

The old town

You can walk round the old centre in half an hour: narrow lanes around the square of the parish church. For centuries Limone was a stop on the road over the Col de Tende: from 1275 to 1581 it belonged to the County of Tende, then passed to the House of Savoy. This is also where you’ll find shops, restaurants and more than ten ski rental shops, a few steps from the gondola.

Church of San Pietro in Vincoli

The village’s main monument. According to a plaque, the Romanesque bell tower dates from around 1100; the church has medieval origins and was enlarged to its present form in 1363. Inside, three naves with rib vaults rest on twelve granite columns, which tradition links to the twelve most powerful local families. Look at the stone façade, with a 15th-century Deposition in the lunette above the door, and at the 16th-century wooden pulpit inside.

Limonetto

Limonetto is a hamlet of Limone at about 1,300 m, 7 km further up the road towards the Col de Tende (ten minutes by car). It is a small cluster of houses around the church of San Chiaffredo and one of the access points to the Riserva Bianca: the Limonetto Pernante and Morel Limonetto chairlifts link it to the rest of the ski area. It is the quietest base if you’d rather not drive through the village.

Quota 1400

Quota 1400 is the apartment and ski zone above Limone, 4 km from the centre (about ten minutes). It has a nursery area with a conveyor belt reserved for ski schools, the Morel 1400 chairlift and the bottom station of the Cabanaira chairlift, which climbs to almost 2,000 m. In summer the Alta Via del Sale also starts from this area.

The Col de Tende and its forts

The Col de Tende (about 1,870 m) links the Vermenagna valley with the Roya valley and today marks the French–Italian border. In summer you can drive up from Limone on the old hairpin road, about 13 km. On the pass and the ridges around it stands the fortified camp built by the Kingdom of Italy in the late 19th century: Fort Central (now on French soil, in the municipality of Tende), built in the early 1880s for a garrison of 210 men, and the smaller forts of Pernante, Giaura, Taburda, Pepino and Margheria.

Fort Central can be visited freely from the outside, at no cost. For walkers, the official “Forts of the Col de Tende” loop starts at the pass: 13.7 km, 629 m of ascent, about 4 hours 20 minutes, medium difficulty. It reaches Fort Pepin (2,263 m), with views over the Maritime Alps and down to the sea. In winter the pass road is closed to cars by snow.

Alta Via del Sale (the Salt Road)

The Alta Via del Sale is an unpaved former military road that runs from the Col de Tende along the ridge between Piedmont, France and Liguria to Monesi di Triora, almost always between 1,800 and 2,100 m. It is one of the best-known gravel roads in the Alps, ridden by mountain bikers, motorcyclists and 4×4 drivers and walked by hikers. It isn’t a loop, so plan your way back.

The rules are strict. You enter through the Limone Piemonte gate (or from Briga Alta, Triora, Pigna, La Brigue or Tende), usually from late June to mid-October, snow permitting. On Tuesdays and Thursdays it is closed to motor vehicles and reserved for cyclists and walkers. Cars and motorbikes pay a toll and book online; in 2026 bikes and e-bikes paid a symbolic €1. Dates and booking on the official Alta Via del Sale website.

Lake Terrasole

Lake Terrasole is a small heart-shaped lake at around 1,800 m in the Vallone di Sole above the village, with a view towards Monviso. On foot from the centre it takes about two and a half hours and 700 m of ascent, on a path and a partly shaded track. The easy way: take the Bottero gondola up and walk about 20 minutes. In summer a floating stage on the lake hosts concerts of the Note d’Acqua festival.

The ski area is called Riserva Bianca and is run by Limone Impianti Funiviari e Turistici. The official figures: 80 km of runs, about forty pistes (43 according to the resort) and 16 lifts, between 1,050 and 2,085 m. Most runs have snowmaking. The other big ski area in the province of Cuneo is Mondolè Ski at Prato Nevoso.

The three ways into the Riserva Bianca

• Limone village: the Severino Bottero gondola leaves from the centre (about 1,080 m) and climbs to 1,674 m in the Sole sector. From there the Pian del Sole, Alpetta and Pian del Leone–Pancani chairlifts take you to 2,085 m, the top of the ski area. The snowpark is in the Sole sector.
• Quota 1400: nursery slope, Morel 1400 chairlift and Cabanaira chairlift (up to 1,972 m). Handy for families and for those staying up the hill.
• Limonetto: Limonetto Pernante and Morel Limonetto chairlifts and, towards the border, the Colle di Tenda chairlift (up to 1,835 m).

In the village there are also small beginner lifts near the centre (Campo Principe, San Secondo, Gegia), useful for children and for your first day.

Who is it for?

The Riserva Bianca suits all levels: nursery areas in the village and at Quota 1400, and more demanding runs on the higher slopes. The vertical is good: more than 1,000 m from the village to 2,085 m. Limone has a long ski history: the first lift, a sled tow known as the “slittone”, opened in 1937, and the first chairlift in 1948. Between 1980 and 1984 the resort hosted women’s World Cup races, won by skiers including Hanni Wenzel, Marie-Theres Nadig, Tamara McKinney and Italy’s Daniela Zini.

Lift passes and season

At the time of writing, 2026/27 lift pass prices have not been published. Passes are sold online on the Riserva Bianca website, together with offers and season passes: buy in advance to skip the ticket-office queue. The season usually runs from late November or early December to mid-April: in 2025/26 the lifts opened on 29 November and closed on 12 April.

Ski schools, cross-country and snowshoeing

The village has several ski and snowboard schools and more than ten rental shops. For cross-country skiing there is a 3 km easy-to-medium loop at Panice Sottana. With snowshoes or touring skis you can explore the valleys around the village and towards the Col de Tende: check the avalanche bulletin and, if you don’t know the area, go with a guide. There are also freeride couloirs, snowkite courses and an ice-climbing wall at Panice Soprana.

In summer Limone is quiet and cool: at 1,000 m the evenings are fresh even in August. The main activities are hiking, mountain biking and drives up to the border.

• Bottero gondola: in summer it usually runs from early July to late August (in 2026 daily from 18 July to 30 August, 9:30am–5:30pm). It takes walkers and bikers up to the Sole sector, 20 minutes from Lake Terrasole.
• Lake Terrasole on foot: about 2.5 hours from the centre, 700 m of ascent. Easy to come back down by gondola if it’s running.
• Col de Tende forts loop: 13.7 km, 629 m of ascent, about 4 hours 20 minutes, medium. Fort Pernante is about 45 minutes’ walk from the pass if you want something shorter.
• Alta Via del Sale: the classic ride on a mountain bike or e-bike; car- and motorbike-free on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Biking: the Bottero gondola carries bikes (day bike pass) for the descents on the tracks of the Vallone di Sole.
• Viewpoints: from Monte Alpetta, Bric Campanino and the Pepino and Pernante peaks, on clear days you can see the sea and Corsica.

Always bring a jacket: above 2,000 m the weather changes fast and afternoon storms are common. Trail maps are available at the tourist office in the centre.

• Maritime Alps Natural Park: it isn’t in Limone but in the neighbouring Gesso valley (Entracque 31 km, Terme di Valdieri 41 km, under an hour) and in the Palanfrè valley above Vernante. At about 28,000 hectares it is Piedmont’s largest protected area, with the Argentera (3,297 m), the southernmost glaciers in the Alps, ibex, chamois and wolves. Once a royal hunting reserve of the House of Savoy, it is twinned with France’s Mercantour National Park. Information on the Maritime Alps Protected Areas website.
• Vernante (7 km): the village with around 150 murals of Pinocchio.
• Borgo San Dalmazzo (20 km): the Monserrato sanctuary, a fine sunset viewpoint.
• Cuneo (26 km): the provincial capital with its arcaded centre, also reachable by train.
• Tende and the Roya valley (20 km, France): half an hour away when the tunnel is open. See also our guide to France.
• Ventimiglia and the Riviera (65 km): mountains and sea on the same day, by train too.
• Prato Nevoso (62 km): the province’s other big ski area, with show caves and the Vicoforte sanctuary nearby.
• San Giacomo di Roburent (68 km): a small family ski resort.

Limone has hotels, residences, holiday apartments, B&Bs and a few campsites. The best area depends on your trip.

• Limone centre: for train travellers and anyone without a car, with shops and restaurants on foot and the Bottero gondola close by. Also the best choice in summer.
• Quota 1400: for families with children learning to ski and for staying close to the slopes. Mostly apartments and residences.
• Limonetto: for peace and quiet and lift access away from village traffic. You’ll need a car.
• Vernante and Borgo San Dalmazzo: budget options 10–25 minutes away, handy if you arrive via Cuneo.

Book well ahead for Christmas, New Year and February weekends: they are the busiest periods.

By car

From Italy: drive to Cuneo (from Turin on the A6 and then the A33 Asti–Cuneo motorway) and continue on the SS20 through Borgo San Dalmazzo and Vernante to Limone. It’s 26 km from Cuneo, about 123 km from Turin (1 hour 45 minutes), 174 km from Genoa and 246 km from Milan (3 hours).

From the French Riviera the shortest route is through the Tende tunnel: Nice is about 100 km (1 hour 50 minutes), Monaco 86 km, Menton 77 km, Ventimiglia 65 km. The tunnel is closed for works until 29 October 2026; it is due to reopen on 30 October with one-way alternating traffic controlled by lights and limited hours. Check the current times before you set off (ANAS or the Piedmont Region). If the tunnel is closed you have to take the motorway via Savona and Cuneo: about 270 km and 3.5 hours from Nice. In winter carry snow chains or use winter tyres.

By train

Limone has its own station, at about 1,010 m, on the Cuneo–Limone–Ventimiglia line. Regional trains link Limone with Cuneo (some continue to Fossano) in under an hour; from Turin you usually change at Cuneo or Fossano. A few trains a day continue to Ventimiglia through the French Roya valley. From Nice: the Nice–Breil–Tende line reopened on 15 December 2025 after damage from Storm Alex; change at Breil-sur-Roya or Tende for Italian trains to Limone. Services are infrequent, so check timetables on Trenitalia and SNCF Connect. In summer the FS Foundation also runs heritage trains Turin–Cuneo–Limone–Tende.

By bus

Intercity buses run from Cuneo along the SS20, with few departures: check the timetable before you travel. In winter a ski bus links the car parks with the lifts.

By plane

The nearest airport with lots of international flights is Nice Côte d’Azur, about 110 km via the Tende tunnel (about 280 km on the motorway when the tunnel is closed). Turin Caselle is about 140 km away (2 hours). Cuneo Levaldigi airport is 48 km away but has few flights. From any airport you’ll need a hire car or the train via Cuneo or Ventimiglia.

Parking

In winter there are car parks in the village and near the lift access points, linked by the ski bus. On peak-season weekends arrive early: the car parks near the gondola fill up quickly. Up-to-date information on the Riserva Bianca website.

LIMONE PIEMONTE Meteo