On a patch of land near the French Riviera, limestone rock faces of exceptional quality are hidden. This guidebook will reveal all the vertical secrets of Western Liguria and that area of France which from the border runs towards La Turbie and climbs into the valley until it reaches the areas surrounding Nice. You will discover areas which have made the history of sports climbing and hidden gems which are un known to the majority of people. Like a local you will move along the coast and the hinterland making the most of the different seasons and sun exposition.

With the guidebook Salty Routes written by Alessandro Cariga and Matteo Gambaro you will explore the Dark Side of Liguria: an area which over the years has seen many new routes and crags develop which deserved to be described in detail.

Alessandro Cariga was born in Bordighera in September of 1989, he has always loved the mountains, and started alpinism since the early 2000s thanks to his parents. During his early years he climbed many modern and classic routes, across the Alps and his local mountains: the Maritime Alps. Only during a second moment, thanks to a fortuitous meeting with a local climber he discovered sports climbing to which he has dedicated mind and body. As a youngster he collected personal satisfactions and thanks to his kind and sunny disposition he forged lasting relationships with the historical panorama of climbers and bolters from Liguria, Piedmont and Nice. Motivated in finding and developing new climbing spots and lines over the years he has bolted hundreds of routes near the border, reaching even Corno Stella and Mongioie establishing two very difficult multipitch routes, completing a path that began almost twenty years ago.

Matteo Gambaro was born in Cuneo on the 10th November 1974, he moved his first climbing steps in 1992 on the crags of the Cuneo and Finale area. Only after eight months of climbing he reached the difficulty of grade 8 and started competing, this brought him to win the Coppa Italia Lead in 2005 and after numerous international experiences. Together with Elena Chiappa from 2009 to 2016 he established the first climbing village (climbing gym, bar and shop) in the province of Cuneo. National Fasi route setter he has organized and set routes in many national and international competitions. From 2015 he moved to Cisano sul Neva starting a proper vertical revolution in Val Pennavaire; he has bolted over 300 routes ranging from grade 8a to 9a+ and enhancing the valley with many high level routes which were missing and writing the guidebook Pennavalley (Versante Sud, 2022).