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WALK 3

Refuge de Nice (2232m: 7323ft)

Start	Pont de Countet (1692m: 5551ft)
Valley base	St-Martin-Vésubie
Distance	9km (5½ miles) round trip
Total ascent	540m (1772ft)
Time	2–2½hrs up, 1¾hrs down
Map	Didier Richard 9 ‘Mercantour’ 1:50,000

Located in a rocky cirque at the head of the Vallon de la Gordolasque – a long tributary of the important Vésubie – Refuge de Nice is suited equally to climbers and trekkers. Peaks that rim the cirque offer a variety of routes, while the summit of Mont Clapier (3045m) rewards with one of the finest panoramas of the whole Maritime Alps. Since the hut is also on the route of the long-distance GR52, it’s well-used by trekkers, and by day visitors too who tackle the following route from the roadhead car park at Pont de Countet. It’s a fine walk which exchanges the gentle pastoral nature of the lower Gordolasque for the wild inner recesses of the mountains.

Vallon de la Gordolasque is gained by a serpentine road which climbs out of the Vésubie valley at Roquebillière to reach Belvédère village. Pont de Countet lies about 12km upvalley where there’s ample parking space. The path to the Nice hut begins by the bridge and heads along the left (west) side of the stream, and soon passes a small shepherd’s hut. Beyond this it weaves among huge boulders on which routes have been marked by a local climbing school, and about 20mins from the start comes to a junction of trails. The righthand option offers an alternative way to the hut via the so-called Murdes Italiens, and has a spur to Lac Autiers – a recommended walk for another day.

Remain on the left of the stream where the path tacks to and fro up long switchbacks over scree, in order to rise above huge smooth slabs that form a mid-valley barrier. Eventually gain a high point above the slabs and slope down slightly to stream level, where the alternative Mur des Italiens path rejoins ours. This is a brief respite only, for the way resumes climbing among slabs with cairns provided where the trail is a little indistinct. After topping another high point, the path then eases into a marshy meadow below a barrage behind which (unseen as yet) lies Lac de la Fous. On the far side of the meadow the path rises again to another junction at 2173m. The left-hand trail here crosses Pas du Mont Colomb and offers a way to neighbouring Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre, but we veer right along GR52 and soon gain a track on the west bank of Lac de la Fous. The Nice hut can be seen on a knoll above the northeast shore. Keep well above the lake, and at the far end cross a stream and climb directly to the hut.

Vallon de la Gordolasque, below Refuge de Nice

Owned by the CAF, Refuge de Nice has 90 places and meals provision when the guardian is in residence. This is usually from mid-June to end of September. (Tel: 04 93 04 62 74, www.cafnice.org).

Return to Pont de Countet either by the same route of approach, or descend by the steep, but straightforward, Mur des Italiens path.