Cyclists and hikers gathered at the Col de Tenda on 20 June 2026 for the public launch of RivierALP, a 120-kilometre network of bike and walking trails linking the French Riviera to Italy’s Maritime Alps. The festival, promoted by the EU-funded ALCOTRA programme and local authorities in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Piedmont, marks the culmination of five years of reconstruction following the devastating Storm Alex landslides of 2020. The route leverages restored rail tunnels, refurbished military roads and new e-bike charging stations to offer a low-carbon alternative to car travel between Nice, Cuneo and surrounding valleys. Regional rail operator TER Sud has timed weekend trains to connect with trailheads, while luggage-transfer services aim to attract overnight business tourists looking to combine meetings on the coast with leisure cycling inland.
![RivierALP Trail Officially Opens, Creating a New Cross-Border Eco-Mobility Corridor Between France and Italy]()
For international riders who may need travel documentation, VisaHQ can quickly determine and obtain the necessary visas for France or Italy through a simple online process—visit https://www.visahq.com/france/ for details—ensuring that nothing stands between adventurers and the RivierALP’s panoramic switchbacks.
For mobility and talent teams, the project broadens options for ‘bleisure’ travel and expatriate quality-of-life packages, making it easier for cross-border staff to commute sustainably. Real-estate agents in Ventimiglia and Breil-sur-Roya report growing interest from remote workers seeking homes within cycling distance of both French and Italian co-working hubs. The initiative also illustrates how EU regional-development funds can dovetail with corporate sustainability goals. Firms with ISO 14001 commitments may encourage visiting teams to use the trail-rail combination instead of short-haul flights or rental cars between Côte d’Azur tech parks and Piedmont manufacturing sites. The organisers expect 50,000 cross-border trips in the first full year, potentially diverting 1,200 tonnes of CO₂. Looking ahead, planners are negotiating an extension toward Monaco and the Ligurian coast, which could further boost multimodal mobility options ahead of the 2027 Nice World Expo bid. For now, the RivierALP launch sets a tangible benchmark for sustainable infrastructure that blends tourism, active commuting and regional economic integration.
For international riders who may need travel documentation, VisaHQ can quickly determine and obtain the necessary visas for France or Italy through a simple online process—visit https://www.visahq.com/france/ for details—ensuring that nothing stands between adventurers and the RivierALP’s panoramic switchbacks.
For mobility and talent teams, the project broadens options for ‘bleisure’ travel and expatriate quality-of-life packages, making it easier for cross-border staff to commute sustainably. Real-estate agents in Ventimiglia and Breil-sur-Roya report growing interest from remote workers seeking homes within cycling distance of both French and Italian co-working hubs. The initiative also illustrates how EU regional-development funds can dovetail with corporate sustainability goals. Firms with ISO 14001 commitments may encourage visiting teams to use the trail-rail combination instead of short-haul flights or rental cars between Côte d’Azur tech parks and Piedmont manufacturing sites. The organisers expect 50,000 cross-border trips in the first full year, potentially diverting 1,200 tonnes of CO₂. Looking ahead, planners are negotiating an extension toward Monaco and the Ligurian coast, which could further boost multimodal mobility options ahead of the 2027 Nice World Expo bid. For now, the RivierALP launch sets a tangible benchmark for sustainable infrastructure that blends tourism, active commuting and regional economic integration.
