Via Francigena - Variante Dora Riparia

The Via Francigena – Variante Dora Riparia is a roughly 100-km point-to-point pilgrimage trail in the Susa Valley of Piedmont, north-west Italy, descending around 1,800 m as it follows the Dora Riparia river from the Mont Cenis pass down to Turin. Rated moderate, it threads Romanesque abbeys, the cliff-top Sacra di San Michele and chestnut forests across five to six walking days.

About the Via Francigena - Variante Dora Riparia

The Via Francigena is one of medieval Europe's great pilgrimage corridors, a 3,268-km network linking Canterbury in England to Rome, crossing the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Italy. It owes its modern shape to Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury, whose journal of 990 AD recorded 79 stages on his return from Rome. The route belongs to the International Walking Network (IWN), one of the world's most significant hiking systems, and is administered by the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (EAVF).

The Variante Dora Riparia is the western Alpine approach used by pilgrims who crossed into Italy over the Mont Cenis (Moncenisio) pass rather than the Great St Bernard. Documented as a reception point for travellers since 825 AD, the Mont Cenis hospice fed a steady stream of walkers down into the valley of the Dora Riparia, the river that gives this variant its name. The Dora rises near the French border and runs about 125 km east to Turin, where it joins the Po; the trail shadows its descent through the Val di Susa.

This variant became the predominant alpine entry to the Italian Francigena by the 12th century, overtaking the Aosta route. Walking it today means tracing a Lombard and Frankish military road that Charlemagne's armies used after the 774 conquest, past abbeys built specifically to shelter pilgrims. The grade is forgiving by alpine standards: the hardest descent is in the first day off the pass, after which the valley floor and forested terraces keep gradients gentle. It suits walkers with some hill experience who want history, food and mountain scenery without the technical demands of high-alpine routes such as the Theth to Valbona crossing in Albania.

What sets the Dora Riparia variant apart from the more famous Tuscan stretches of the Francigena is its concentration of monumental sites in a short span. Within a single day's walk you pass a Roman triumphal arch, a Benedictine abbey older than the route itself, and one of Europe's most dramatic cliff-top sanctuaries. The valley has been a strategic corridor for over two thousand years — Hannibal is traditionally linked to one of the nearby alpine passes, the Romans built the road to Gaul through Susa, and the dukes of Savoy later fortified the same chokepoints. For walkers, the practical upshot is a route that is rich in waypoints, well served by transport, and rarely lonely, making it an excellent introduction to multi-day pilgrim walking before tackling a longer thru-hike.

Route Overview & Stages

The variant is most often walked over five to six days, north to south, beginning at the Mont Cenis pass on the French–Italian frontier and finishing in central Turin. Distances below are approximate and reflect the official EAVF stage breaks; many walkers combine the shorter sections.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Mont Cenis pass and lake — the 2,083-m frontier crossing where pilgrims have descended into Italy since the hospice was founded in 825 AD; the reservoir below the pass is a striking turquoise start to the walk.
• Novalesa Abbey — a Benedictine monastery founded in 726 AD, one of the oldest in the western Alps, with frescoed chapels documenting centuries of pilgrim traffic.
• Arch of Augustus, Susa — a Roman triumphal arch from 9–8 BC marking the valley's ancient strategic role; Susa sits where the route reaches the valley floor.
• Sacra di San Michele — the spectacular abbey of Saint Michael perched on Monte Pirchiriano, founded around 983–987 AD and the inspiration for Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose; the official Sacra di San Michele site lists opening hours and the symbolic Stairway of the Dead that climbs to the church.
• Chiusa di San Michele — the narrow gorge below the Sacra where the valley pinches tight, long fortified to control movement along the route.
• Sant'Antonio di Ranverso — a Gothic abbey complex founded in the 12th century by the Antonine order, with painted facades and a hospital that once treated pilgrims.
• Avigliana lakes — two glacial lakes inside a regional nature park, a calm green halt with a well-preserved medieval centre.
• Turin cathedral — the finish point, home to the Shroud of Turin and the gateway to the lowland Francigena toward Vercelli and the Po plain.

Best Time to Hike the Via Francigena - Variante Dora Riparia

The walking season runs from late April to mid-October. The opening days near the Mont Cenis pass sit above 2,000 m and hold snow well into spring; the pass road and the high traverse are typically clear of significant snow only from late May. The valley floor below Susa is walkable far earlier, but to do the full variant from the pass you need the high section open.

The single best month is September. Daytime temperatures in the valley sit around 18–24 °C, the high pass is reliably snow-free, summer thunderstorms have faded, and the chestnut woods and vineyards begin turning. July and August are hot on the valley floor (often above 30 °C around Turin and Avigliana) and busier, while June offers long daylight and alpine flowers but a higher thunderstorm risk in the afternoons. For 2026, expect the high stages to be comfortably passable from the first week of June through to early October; book the Sacra di San Michele section around weekends, when it draws day visitors. October walking is fine on the valley floor but the pass can see early snow.

Weather in the Susa Valley is shaped by its alpine geography: mornings near the pass can drop below 5 °C even in summer, while the lower valley around Avigliana and Rivoli traps heat on still afternoons. Rain is most likely in May and again in late October, and the high opening stage is exposed with little shelter, so check the forecast before committing to the pass descent. If conditions look poor up high, many walkers simply start lower at Susa, sacrificing the Mont Cenis crossing but keeping the abbeys and the river greenway, which stay walkable in almost any month outside deep winter.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The Francigena is built around pilgrim hospitality. Dedicated ostelli and parish-run pilgrim hostels along the variant charge roughly €15–25 per night, often donation-based (offerta) at religious houses, and usually require the pilgrim credential. Budget B&Bs and affittacamere in Susa, Avigliana and Sant'Ambrogio run about €45–70 for a double room, while hotels in Turin span €70–130. Wild camping is restricted in Piedmont, but a handful of agriturismi and the Avigliana lakes park area offer managed pitches for around €10–15 per person. Carry some cash, as smaller hostels do not take cards.

Getting There & Back

Turin is the natural hub. Turin–Caselle airport (TRN) is about 30 minutes from the city centre by bus, and Milan Malpensa (MXP) is roughly 2 hours away by train and shuttle. To reach the start, take a regional train from Turin Porta Nuova up the valley to Susa (about 1 hour 10 minutes) or to Oulx, then a local bus toward the Mont Cenis pass; the climb to the pass itself is most easily done by the seasonal bus on the French side from Modane, which lies on the Paris–Milan rail line. From the Turin finish, frequent trains connect back to the airports and onward across Italy. The valley rail line shadows the trail, so bailing out mid-route at Susa, Bussoleno, Sant'Ambrogio or Avigliana is straightforward.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to walk the variant, and the trail is free to access. The one document worth carrying is the Credenziale del Pellegrino (pilgrim passport), available from the EAVF and many starting churches for a few euros; it unlocks hostel rates and can be stamped along the way to earn the Testimonium in Rome. The Sacra di San Michele charges an entry fee of about €8 for the abbey interior, and the Avigliana lakes nature park is free to walk through.

Gear & Packing List

This is a hut-and-hostel walk rather than a self-sufficient expedition, so weight stays low. A 35–55 litre pack is ample; many walkers manage with a lightweight frameless or ventilated pack such as the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider for minimalists or the more supportive Fjällräven Abisko Hike 35. If you carry camping kit for the Avigliana pitches, step up to a Osprey Atmos AG 50. Bring layers for the cold pass start and hot valley afternoons, broken-in trail shoes, sun protection, 1.5–2 litres of water capacity (fountains are frequent in villages), and trekking poles for the long descent off Mont Cenis. The terrain is rarely technical, so a tested fit and load distribution matter more than rugged hardware — see our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 before you commit.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the Dora Riparia variant gives you a taste for long, way-marked routes with strong daily rhythm and big scenery, several iconic trails scale the idea up. These run far longer and more remote than the Francigena's alpine descent, but share the same point-to-point, stage-by-stage character.

• Pacific Crest Trail (United States)
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (United States), 4,988 km
• Mount Whitney Trail (United States)
• Half Dome Trail (United States)
• Angels Landing Trail–West Rim Trail (United States)

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Via Francigena Dora Riparia variant?
September is the standout month. The Mont Cenis pass is reliably snow-free, valley temperatures sit around 18–24 °C, summer storms have eased, and autumn colour begins in the chestnut woods. June is also good with long daylight, though afternoons carry a higher thunderstorm risk on the high stages above Susa.

How difficult is this variant?
It is rated moderate. The toughest section is the long 1,400-m descent from the Mont Cenis pass to Susa on the first day, which is hard on the knees. After that the route follows the valley floor and forested terraces with gentle gradients. The optional climb to the Sacra di San Michele adds about 600 m but is well worth it.

How many kilometres per day should I plan?
Most walkers cover 18–28 km a day and finish the roughly 100-km variant in five to six days. The valley rail line runs alongside the trail, so you can shorten or split stages easily by hopping a train at Susa, Bussoleno, Sant'Ambrogio or Avigliana if the weather turns or your legs need a rest.

What accommodation is available along the route?
Pilgrim hostels and parish ostelli charge about €15–25 per night, often donation-based at religious houses and requiring the pilgrim credential. B&Bs in valley towns run €45–70 for a double, and Turin hotels span €70–130. A few agriturismi and the Avigliana lakes park offer managed camping for around €10–15 per person. Carry cash for smaller hostels.

Do I need a permit to walk it?
No permit is required and the trail is free to access. The only document worth having is the Credenziale del Pellegrino (pilgrim passport) from the EAVF, which costs a few euros, unlocks hostel rates and can be stamped along the way. The Sacra di San Michele interior charges roughly €8 entry; the Avigliana nature park is free.

Planning your daily food load matters on long valley days — our guide to how many calories you need hiking a full day helps you pack the right rations between villages.