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WALK 4

Refuge de Cougourde (2090m: 6857ft)

Start	Vallée du Boréon (1680m: 5512ft)
Valley base	St-Martin-Vésubie
Distance	9km (5½ miles) in all
Total ascent	470m (1542ft)
Time	2hrs to the hut, 1hr down
Map	Didier Richard 9 ‘Mercantour’ 1:50,000

The standard approach to this hut is interesting enough, since it rises through a charming valley with a clear stream for company much of the way. But what is suggested here is a diversion to visit first a lake in a magical setting before making a traverse round the mountain flank to the hut itself. Refuge de Cougourde is a chalet-style hut built in 2002 to replace the odd-looking original. Its location on the edge of meadowland under peaks that form the Franco-Italian border is delightful.

From Le Boréon hamlet, northeast of St-Martin, drive towards the head of the Vallée du Boréon (taxi possible). The tarmac road ends with plenty of parking spaces and picnic sites near the Vacherie du Boréon, but a broad track continues to an upper car park (Parking Supérieure) in the woods just above the vacherie. The walk begins here, by an information board. Initially follow a track through forest, but when it swings right in about 3mins, walk ahead on a stony path, then when it forks take the upper option. This leads to a forest clearing with a pool, a small building, and views to nearby cascades. Beyond this clearing the path twists uphill and comes to a bridge over the stream at 1838m. Cross this and wander upvalley with the stream for company, and rocky peaks looming ahead. Reach a junction where the left-hand path goes to the Lacs Bessons, but continue ahead for another 3mins to another junction on the north side of a dock-covered pasture below the little Pierastrèche cabin (1936m). The left-hand path is the direct route to the hut, but we bear right and recross the stream.

Lac de Trecolpas, near Refuge de Cougourde

At first the path slants across the hillside among alpenroses, then twists more steeply up the south side of a broad spur dividing two stems of the upper Boréon valley. This is blocked by Cime de l’Agnellière and its consort of slabs and cliffs. Just below an obvious brief saddle there’s another path junction. (Left to the hut, straight ahead to the lake.) Climb to the saddle, beyond which you’ll find the lovely Lac de Trecolpas (2150m), then when you can tear yourself away, return to the junction and bear right. The path makes a traverse of rocks and scree below the Tête de Trecolpas, then among larch and alpenroses before negotiating yet more rocks. Finally cross a stream to gain Refuge de Cougourde, about 30mins from the lake.

Refuge de Cougourde is owned by the Nice section of the CAF, with 40 places and full meals service. It is staffed from mid-June to the end of September. (Tel: 04 93 03 26 00, www.cafnice.org).

The downward path begins from the hut and descends steeply to the Pierastrèche junction where you rejoin the main trail used on the upward route.