Roja Valley

Divided between Italy and France is Val Roja, through which the river of the same name runs for about sixty kilometres before flowing into the Mediterranean sea at Ventimiglia.

The transfer of Nice to France in 1860 interrupted the valley’s territorial continuity, making it a border location where traditions and languages intermingle.

If the upper valley includes Tenda and Briga, further down Fontan, Saorge and Breil-sur-Roya can be found, all of which are now situated in France, continuing down towards the coast OLIVETTA SAN MICHELE, AIROLE and VENTIMIGLIA come into view.

This overlapping of territories has intermixed the languages; the official languages are French and Italian, but they have been joined by a number of Ligurian Alpine dialects, all of which share a common root.

Important transportation routes pass through the valley: the Colle di Tenda mountain pass links it with Limone Piemonte and the historic scenic railway line, treno delle meraviglie (train of wonders), connects Cuneo with Ventimiglia.

To the west, the valley forms part of the Parco Nazionale del Mercantour (Mercantour National Park).