Gran Serin da Frais di Chiomonte

Starting point is the Frais hamlet of Chiomonte reachable from Susa after a 12-km drive. You park after the Frais sign, on the right side, below the road is the former winter cross-country skiing station, abandoned for some years. Proceed on asphalt in the center of the Frais locality where there is a fountain of fresh, drinkable water; at the end of the road there is a small bridge, which you cross and continue on via Arguel for about 500 m. The dirt road begins on via Gran Serin and you keep to the right, ignoring a fork for Alpe Soubejrand. At km 5 you break through the woods at Alpe Arguel ( elevation 1961 mt), pass a bar (km 5.5) and continue among the larches for a couple more kilometers.

Where the trees disappear the road increases in grade, but the wide dirt road has recently been compacted. The only precaution at the end of June is to avoid crossing a steep snow tongue and opt for the trail for about 200 meters until you reach the big lake ( elevation 2500 mt). Above the lake stand the barracks from 1890 that held up to 800 people. We reach after mt 500 the junction with the old Assietta road, descend to the plateau with the barracks, continue for another mt 700 to the Gran Serin battery ( altitude 2641 mt) built in 1897 and equipped at the time with 8 cannons and 6 mortars. The view of the upper Susa Valley is complete, from the Assietta Pass to the Col Basset, and at the end also the Chaberton, with its imposing fortified work. The return was made by the same route as the outward.