Sambuco is a tiny village in the Valle Stura, one of the Occitan valleys of Piedmont, on the road that climbs from Cuneo to the Colle della Maddalena, known to the French as the Col de Larche, and on into the Ubaye valley in France. It is a place of stone houses, wooden balconies and steep meadows, surrounded by mountains, where life has always been tied to pastures and flocks. The village has given its name to a local breed of sheep, the Sambucana, whose lamb is a prized speciality of the valley.
The road up the Valle Stura is a fine ride, following the river through a narrowing valley with forests, villages and rock walls. Below Sambuco stands the enormous Forte Albertino at Vinadio, a nineteenth-century fortress built by the Savoy kings to guard the valley against France, now open to visitors. Above Sambuco, the road climbs through Pietraporzio and Argentera to the pass at nearly two thousand metres, with wide hairpins and a landscape that becomes increasingly wild and alpine.
The road is popular with motorcyclists and is generally in good condition, but heavy goods traffic can be a nuisance, as it is a through route between Italy and France. The pass can be closed by snow in winter, and weather in the mountains can change quickly. Watch for cattle and sheep on the road in summer.
Sambuco has limited services, but the valley has fuel in the larger villages lower down, such as Demonte, and Cuneo has everything. Local trattorias serve hearty Piedmontese and Occitan food, including polenta, cheeses and lamb. Onward, the way crosses into France and continues towards the Mercantour, with its high passes and remote valleys.