Olivetta San Michele is a small Ligurian village in the valley of the Bevera, right on the border between Italy and France, a few kilometres up from Ventimiglia. The village clings to steep slopes covered with olive terraces, and its stone houses and church tower look much as they have for centuries. The French town of Sospel lies just upstream, across the border.
The Bevera valley has been a frontier for centuries, fought over by the counts of Savoy, the Republic of Genoa and France. Fortifications from different eras can be found in the hills, including forts built along the Maginot Line's alpine extension in the 1930s. The olive groves produce the small Taggiasca olives that are a speciality of western Liguria, and local oil is excellent.
As a start and fuel stop, Olivetta is close to Ventimiglia, which has plenty of services, and fuel is often cheaper on one side of the border than the other, so it pays to check. The roads from here are spectacular. The route up the Bevera to Sospel winds through a narrow gorge, then climbs to the Col de Brouis or the Col de Braus, both twisting passes with hairpins and views. Beyond Sospel lies the Col de Turini, famous from the Monte Carlo Rally.
Traffic is light on the mountain roads, but watch for cyclists, rally enthusiasts and local drivers who know every bend. Surfaces vary, and some roads are narrow. In summer, start early to avoid the heat; in winter, the high passes can be icy.