Mercantour National Park 6-day hiking trip

Explore France’s wonderful national park of Mercantour with UIMLA-certified leader Chantal on a 6-day hiking trip.

Group

6 Days

Jun - Sep

High

Intermediate

Description

Discover the rich heritage and beauty of France’s Valley of Wonders that lie in the heart of the Mercantour National Park.

Through the alpine meadows, larch forests, lively wildlife and flora, we’ll discover pure natural beauty while hiking.

The park is also home to the marvellous engravings carved out of the rocks that date back to the Bronze Age. With some 37,000 engravings, representing a range of figures such as cattle and weapons, it is the largest site in Europe of rock engravings.

As we pass the landscape, the whistles of marmots will catch our ear, while we observe wild ibex and chamois. And glimpsing upwards we’ll see buzzards and golden eagles.

The cultural hike will take us past Lac des Mesches as well as the deep history of mining on the Bego massif, which was also a sacred site for the Liguri tribe.

As we cross the route towards Valmasque, stunning landscapes of the valley appear, as well as lovely tranquil lakes.

We’ll continue to roll with the valleys, ascending and descending, all the while in the company of the regions lush flora. Holm oak, olive trees, firs Swiss pines and larches populate the valleys.

Get in touch now to reserve your place among the naturally rich natural park of Mercantour for an adventurous 6-day hiking trip.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Luggage transfer

Itinerary

Day 1: Tende - The Mesches

We leave the valley of Roya for the valley of Minière which marks the entrance of the famous Valley of the Wonders. The Chemin de Valaire leads us to Lac des Mesches. We will discuss the history of the first hydropower productions of Italy from the beginning of the century and the very ancient history of mining on the Bego massif.

Day 2: Traverse from the Valley of Merveilles to the Valmasque Valley

The Valley of Merveilles (Valley of Wonders) is a real open-air museum. We leave for 3 days and 2 nights for the exceptional scenery. Many lakes, high peaks, and rock engravings of more than 3,500 years. It offers memories of the first Mediterranean civilizations. It is a pleasure of the eyes with contrasts of colors, lovely flora and a rich and present fauna.

Day 3: Ascent to Mont Bego and then to the refuge of Valmasque

Depending on the weather, we can go back and forth on one of the mythical summits of Mont Bego (2,872 m). This place exudes a special atmosphere. We then make the crossing to the refuge of Valmasque: this route is one of the most beautiful of the Valley of the Merveilles with the discovery of many lakes and present fauna.

Day 4: Sabion Collar crossing

After a short descent we will discover some vestiges of the region’s military history. Then we take the small path that leads to the Sabion, which has recently been debated by the Mercantour Park who wanted to give back wild areas to wildlife and limit tourism. Only a few professionals venture into this valley of exceptional beauty. This site is privileged for the panorama of the Mercantour Park and its Italian twin, the Alpi-Maritime Park.

Day 5: Cross the Valley of Fontanalbe by the Cime de Chanvrairee

We return to the altitude to discover the valley of Valmasque, a true sanctuary for fauna. It is at the edge of the Green Lake that we discover the site of the engravings. We cross the Baisse de Vallauretta to climb the Cime (optional) where the chamois and ibex frequent. Then back to the pass and a nice descent to the valley of the mine where we stayed the first night.

Day 6: Hike between two passes

We complete this tour with an exceptional hike between two uncrowded passes. This wild path is not marked and offers unique panoramas. From the Pas de la Nauque (2,130 m) a short descent takes us back to the cottage before reaching the parking lot at Lake Meshes for a transfer to Tende station.

About the guide

Chantal

Mountain Leader

I am the director of a trekking agency based in the Queyras Regional Park and specialized in guided and self-guided walking, snowshoeing and cycling trips in the southern alps.

I created my agency with 3 other mountain leaders 20 years ago.
Who in the present work with me, and we as a team, take care of all the trips.

Please get in touch with me, if you want us to organise you a great trip in the Alps !

Languages

French | English

Certificates

SNAM | UIMLA

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