Cinghiostreffen

A unique winter motorcycle rally in the Piedmontese Alps

The Cinghiostreffen is one of the most distinctive events in the Italian winter motorcycling calendar. It takes place in the hamlet of Valdo, in the municipality of Formazza, at the northern tip of the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province in Piedmont: an alpine basin of Walser language and culture surrounded by peaks and glaciers, at the foot of the spectacular Toce Waterfall, which boasts a 143-meter drop, making it one of the highest in Europe.

While most rallies focus on the warmer seasons, Cinghiostreffen flips the script, inviting riders exactly when snow dominates the landscape. It is an event for those who love intense cold, adventure, and genuine friendship: a rugged "three-day" gathering where people meet around fire pits, pitch tents on frozen fields, and share their passion for two wheels in a fun, family-like atmosphere.

The tradition of the Moto Club Alta Val Formazza

The event is organized by the Moto Club Alta Val Formazza, affiliated with the Italian Motorcycling Federation, which has turned it into a benchmark for bikers from all over Northern Italy and beyond. Born as a small gathering among friends, Cinghiostreffen has grown edition after edition to become a "full house" capable of attracting hundreds of participants in the heart of the Ossola winter.

Wild boar, snow, and conviviality

The rally's trademark is its wild boar-based catering—from which the event's name derives—served under a heated marquee with fire pits to combat the freezing temperatures. Alongside the great food, the program features the skill tests on snow that have made the event famous:

• Motocinghios — skill test on snowy tracks with an uphill climb;
• free tent area in the adjacent meadows, with firewood provided;
• heated marquee, bar, and catering for the entire duration of the rally;
• sale of official Cinghiostreffen merchandise.

All of this is immersed in the winter landscape of the Upper Formazza Valley, one of the most evocative valleys in the Piedmontese Alps, a destination also loved by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing enthusiasts.