Getting there
There is a train that runs between Cuneo and Ventimiglia/Nice and a station in La Brigue.
The nearest international airport is Nice, though we sometimes fly to Turin, Genoa or Toulon.
La Brigue lies 2 kms off the main road which runs through the Vallee de la Roya between Cuneo and Ventimiglia (both in Italy). Turn off for La Brigue at St Dalmas de Tende (4 kms south of Tende).
From Nice, although there is a pretty mountain route via Sospel and Breil, the quickest way (about 1 hour 20 mins) is to take the motorway east towards Ventimiglia (tolls payable, around 5 euros). After entering Italy and just before Ventimiglia, there are some motorway toll booths. Be careful to turn right immediately after these and follow signs to Colle di Tenda. Drive up the Roya Valley towards St Dalmas de Tende, and take the right turn for La Brigue.
From Turin (about 2.5 hours), take the Tangentiale (motorway ring road) heading south, and turn onto the A6/E717 motorway (tolls payable) signposted to Savona. Follow this for 50 kms to the Fossano junction. From here, follow signs for Cuneo and then for Colle di Tenda. Drive through the tunnel (beware - it occasionally closes at night), down to Tende, and then another 4 kms to St Dalmas de Tende. Turn left here for La Brigue.
From Genoa (about 2.5 hours), follow the A10/E80 motorway (tolls payable) west to Ventimiglia. Turn off when signposted for Colle di Tenda at Ventimiglia. Drive up the valley to St Dalmas de Tende. (If you miss the Colle di Tenda turning you will end up in France near Menton; either do a ‘U’-turn or, if time is no object, give up and take the mountain road to Sospel and Breil, where you will meet the road to Tende).
In the village of La Brigue, follow the main road across a bridge, through Place St Martin, and on until you come to a large square (in summer this often has a large marquee in it). This is Place de Nice. No 2 is in the far corner with the date ‘1882’ over the door. Come up to the second floor for Apartment 1 on the left and Apartment 2 on the right. Continue up another floor for Apartment 3.
This is the road over the Col de Tende pass;
thankfully there is a tunnel below!
