On the hillsides of the Roya valley, the wooded route rich in flora crosses over to Italy and the Tende community, a disputed area for long periods of time. The current configuration of this community is one inherited from history, when it was the subject of many difficult diplomatic episodes.
In the Xth century, the county of Tende was placed under the Italian authority of Vintimille. The toponymy and architecture of this zone are in fact of Italian influence.
Later, as of 1157, it came under the management of Genoa. Castérino, from casterine, a Piedmontese diminutive of castel, is currently still the summer pasture area for Italian shepherds.
In 1257, this region was placed under the protection of the county of Provence in spite of the disagreement of the counts of Vintimille. This marked the start of the conflicts.
The year 1581 saw the donation of the county of Tende to the dukes of Savoie. Communication then became one of the major problems of ducal politics, particularly in relation to the supply of foodstuffs such as salt. It was at the end of the XVIth century that Charles Emmanuel I undertook the development of a donkey trail into Italy via the Tende pass.
But in 1860, a first part of Roya was attached to the county of Nice, which itself was at the time attached to France. This was followed by the definitive attachment of the community of Tende.
In parallel to this, Franco-Italian diplomatic conflicts encouraged the strengthening of the borders through the construction of military structures such as the Giaure fort, alongside which the trail passes before turning to Italy. This fort is part of a fortified system together with the Marguerite fort, the Pernante fort and the Central fort situated further down or along the ridge to prevent invasions.
Aside from these strategic considerations, which have always been beyond the local inhabitants, this countryside is very much marked by pastoralism, an important economic activity for the region. Larch trees are scattered across the alpine grassland. The casouns, shepherd’s shelters in stone, are still dotted everywhere.
(Sara Zeidler, Gilles Chappaz, Grande Traversée des Alpes)