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Chapter 1

THE MARITIME ALPS

There is a wild sense of remoteness about the southernmost group of the Alpine chain that belies its proximity to the Mediterranean. In little more than an hour’s drive from the hotels and palm trees of Nice, for example, it is possible to be wandering through uninhabited valleys as rough and rocky as any in Europe, where the skyline is stark and uncompromising and where trails can so easily vanish in a low drifting mist.

Moulded against the grain the Maritime Alps spread across the general alignment later developed by the South-West Alps, their configuration here running from north-west to south-east and with the Franco-Italian border being such as to tilt the French side toward the south, thus providing Riviera resorts with a protective wall. Hot air drifts up from the Mediterranean to be confronted now and then by cooler airstreams flowing south from snow peaks of Dauphiné. Where the two meet frequent thunderstorms occur, and as the first of the loftier mountains, Mont Bégo (2872m) in the Merveilles attracts more than its fair share. Being a ferritic peak lightning strikes are commonplace, and it is this high incidence of lightning activity that is put forward as one possible theory to explain the huge number of Bronze Age rock engravings discovered nearby – the engravers being intent on placating the mountain gods.

By comparison with ranges farther north, the Maritime are not high mountains, for none of the summits reaches 3500 metres – the highest being Punta (or Cima) dell’Argentera at 3297 metres. The lower valleys are sub-tropical, the upper regions a wilderness of stone. There are no glaciers of any extent, snowfields are relatively insignificant and many of the more notable peaks are accessible to walkers with some mountain experience, without calling on technical climbing skills. Yet the Maritime Alps are truly Alpine for all that, with numerous jade-green tarns, great screes and boulder-choked corries, and spiky, rugged little rock peaks that not only provide sport for the climber drawn by the promise of a favourable climate and the odd day spent festering by the sea, but also create a backcloth of considerable charm to a wilderness camp adopted by the walker seeking somewhere a little different, a rarely-publicised region (outside of France, that is) that is not without its challenge.

The Vallée des Merveilles is a wonderland of rock and water

The group is a geological hotch-potch. In places limestone dominates. Elsewhere gneiss, sandstone, metamorphic schist and outcrops of granite form the base materials of which the mountains are composed. Of wildlife chamois are the most numerous and on the Italian flank alone there are estimated to be somewhere in the region of 3500 individuals. The Italian Alpi Marittime also claims some 650 ibex, thanks to a programme of reintroduction from the Gran Paradiso area that began in 1920. Alpine marmots abound, and under the protection of the Mercantour National Park, mouflons – a form of wild mountain sheep – have been introduced from Corsica. Wild boar and wolf, now rare in most other regions of the Alps, are said still to inhabit some of the lower valleys on the Italian side of the border, while the birdlife is also rich and varied. But it is the flora of the region that is so outstanding. The three small reserves of Argentera, Palanfré and Alta Valle Pèsio claim more than 3000 species of plants, many of which are extremely rare, while the Mercantour heartland contains half the native flowers of France, and around 40 that are unique to the area.

The official designation of the range gives Col de Tende as its south-eastern limit and Col de Larche forming the northern link with the Cottian Alps. In truth, however, the mountains extend eastward from Col de Tende as the Ligurian Alps, a definition not always recognised on maps of the area, and dismissed by Coolidge (whose classification of the Alpine chain in the 19th century largely stands today) for their lack of Alpine characteristics. The heart of the range contains the highest summits and probably the best walking opportunities, and is neatly concentrated on the adjoining Parco Naturale dell’Argentera on the Italian slope, and Parc National du Mercantour on the French side, the latter being the most recently designated Alpine park in France, established in 1979 against a great deal of locally-generated opposition.

Parc National du Mercantour

Within the 68,500 hectares of the park no building is permitted, hence the controversy that surrounded its formation, for plans had been proposed to create a downhill ski area there. So it is that walkers and climbers may roam today among uncluttered landscapes and enjoy a degree of solitude the more remarkable for its absence in some of the better-known ranges further north.

Between the Mercantour and the sea the Provençale countryside is characteristically cleft by narrow gorges scoured out by tributaries of the Var, and through which minor roads provide access from Nice. St-Martin-Vésubie, with a goodly assortment of hotels, pensions, gîtes d’étape and campsites, holds the key to exploration of the eastern Mercantour; St-Sauveur-sur-Tinée and St-Étienne-de-Tinée do likewise for the central and north-western sections. We’ll take the Haute Vésubie first, since most of the highest mountains are located here along the Italian border.

Haute Vésubie

Several tributary glens feed into the main Vésubie: the Vallon de la Gordolasque which spills down to Roquebillière, Vallon de la Madone de Fenestre which drains westward and enters the Vésubie by St-Martin, and the Vallée du Boréon to the north of St-Martin. At the head of the first of these glens stands the Cime du Gélas (3143m), highest of the Mercantour peaks and second highest of all the Maritime Alps – Punta dell’Argentera being located entirely on the Italian side of the border. Several lakes lie under the frontier ridge, and Refuge de Nice, a hut belonging to the French Alpine Club (CAF), provides a suitable base with accommodation and meals available in the main summer season. A narrow road projects for some way through the Vallon de la Gordolasque, and when this ends at Pont du Countet a trail continues, climbing between Mont Neiglier and Cime de Roche Garbière, to reach the dammed Lac de la Fous and the hut about two hours or so from the roadhead. Mont Clapier (3045m) dominates the scene above the hut to the north-east.

From Refuge de Nice (2232m) a number of opportunities present themselves for cross-country walking tours and single-day outings, including the ascent of neighbouring peaks, or the possibility of crossing into Italy where the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) has a few huts too. The ascent of Mont Clapier on the frontier ridge is a great attraction here, its summit providing a panorama whose extent in good visibility is said to include the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa in one direction, the outline of Corsica in the other.

West of Mont Clapier lies the old smugglers’ way into Italy via Pas de Pagari (2798m), which leads to the Rifugio Pagari in a little under three hours, while to the east of the Nice hut several small tarns linked by clear streams are passed by the GR52 which makes a multi-day tour of the district. South-east of the hut Lac Autier is trapped in an old glacial cirque overlooked by Mont du Grand Capelet, a peak whose ridges form part of the wall dividing the Vallon de la Gordolasque from the Vallée des Merveilles.

Vallée des Merveilles

The Vallée des Merveilles is more easily reached from the Vallée du Roya to the east, where the road from Nice passes into Italy via the tunnel under Col de Tende, and a minor road breaks off at St-Dalmas-de-Tende to provide access by way of either the Vallon de la Minière or Vallée de Valmasque. However, walkers who have spent time at the Refuge de Nice are able to make a direct approach by following the GR52 over the 2693 metres Baisse du Basto towards Mont Bégo, then either crossing the Baisse de Valmasque (2549m) and descending to the Merveilles hut, or heading north alongside three lakes to stay in the Refuge de Valmasque.

This is a fascinating area and a justifiably popular one too on account of the rock engravings, said to number more than 100,000, scattered over a landscape of boulders, tarns and slabs. Archaeologists believe that the primitive agricultural race responsible for all these pictographs made special journeys to the area round Mont Bégo to carve out images and symbols – all of which are found above the 2000 metre contour. Since so many are oriented towards Mont Bégo, it is thought that the mountain was looked upon as having particular religious significance. The engravings are now protected under French law; it’s forbidden to deface or stand upon them, and wardens patrol the main sites. Guided tours are arranged during the height of the summer season from Refuge des Merveilles, and explanatory booklets are on sale at both the Merveilles and Valmasque huts.

Picturesque St-Dalmas-le-Selvage is located about 4 kilometres north of St-Étienne-de-Tinée

West of Refuge des Merveilles a well-marked route crosses Pas de l’Arpette (2511m) to allow walkers to return to the Vallon de la Gordolasque, thus giving an opportunity to create a circular tour before moving on to the next valley worth exploring from a general base at St-Martin-Vésubie.

Vallon de la Madone de Fenestre

This is the Vallon de la Madone de Fenestre which drains roughly east to west from another tarn-dashed headwall topped by Cime du Gélas, the distinctive peak which also looks down on the upper Gordolasque valley. The GR52 suggests an obvious link with Refuge de Nice by way of the Pas du Mont Colomb, and walkers who have been based there would be better served by crossing that pass instead of making a very long valley detour. Those with their own transport may have other plans. In which case a road invites motorists through the Fenestre glen from St-Martin to the Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre set among a group of buildings at 1903 metres, a distance of about 12 kilometres from St-Martin. By virtue of the easy access (minibus service from St-Martin) it’s the busiest of all huts in the area, and there’s no shortage of ideas for walkers spending a few nights there. Above the Madone hut the little Lac de Fenestre lies under the frontier ridge below Col de Fenestre (2474m), an easy and popular destination for walkers. The pass, from which views stretch beyond the Piedmont plain to Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, carried a Roman road from St-Martin to Entracque – which proves its strategic importance. Walkers can now use this as an obvious way down to the Rifugio Dado Soria on the Italian flank.

The ascent of Cime du Gélas is popular, especially by the voie normale. So too is that of the neighbouring Cime St-Robert when tackled from the south. But there are lots of little tarns to visit too. Not only those that sparkle among crags walling the upper glen over which lies the Gordolasque valley, but south-east of the hut where the five Lacs de Prals are found in a large grassy basin on the far side of Mont Caval. A circuit of Mont Caval could easily be made whilst visiting these tarns from the Madone hut.

Both ridge systems that defend the Fenestre valley have walking routes along and across them. At the western end of the southern crest stands the peaklet of Cime de la Palu (2132m), a noted local viewpoint. From Madone de Fenestre a trail climbs up to the saddle of Baisse de Ferisson, then follows the ridge westward over Mont Lapassé and several other tops, before reaching Cime de la Palu and descending then through woodland to St-Martin at the end of a memorable five-hour walk. The north wall of the valley has a matching route on which Cime de Piagu (2338m) is the highpoint. Both routes could be used by walkers on their way out of the glen.

However, those who are planning to move on in order to make further explorations of the district should note that another CAF hut is easily reached from the Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre. Situated near the head of the Vallée du Boréon and backed by a girdle of cliffs, Refuge de Cougourde is gained by way of Pas des Ladres (2448m). An alternative approach is by way of the hamlet of Le Boréon in about three hours.

Vallée du Boréon

Le Boréon is a small cross-country ski centre with hotel and refuge accommodation located at the mouth of the wooded Vallon de Salèse, about eight kilometres from St-Martin. This tributary glen is of interest for its access to more walking country, while the main valley here, the Vallée du Boréon, is the third of those named above which converge on St-Martin. Non-motorised visitors should be able to reach Le Boréon by minibus from St-Martin, while those who walked over Pas des Ladres to the Cougourde hut may well be drawn to the frontier ridge which makes a headwall above it, for yet again there are ways over into Italy where Punta dell’Argentera looms above the upper Valletta valley. But those who choose Le Boréon as a base in preference to the hut have frontier crossings to consider too, at Col de Cerise (2543m) and Col de Frémamorte (2615m), both of which descend on the north side with plenty of scenic interest to the Valle della Valletta in the Parco Naturale dell’ Argentera. Alternatively a recommended there and back outing leads to the turquoise Lac Nègre by a trail from the jeep road at Col de Salèse.

The tranquil Lac de Trecolpas in the upper Vallée du Boréon, Mercantour National Park

Val de la Tinée

The next major valley system to the west of Vésubie is that of the Tinée river which rises near the north-western limits of the Mercantour National Park in a mountain cirque topped by the Rocher des Trois Évêques. Val de la Tinée is deep and narrow, in places dwarfed by huge overhanging cliffs. Above St-Sauveur Vallon de Mollières is a tributary whose upper reaches form a link with Le Boréon via Col de Salèse. At Isola, halfway between St-Sauveur and St-Étienne, a road breaks out of the main valley and twists its way in a sinuous journey to the hideous, purpose-built ski resort of Isola 2000, and continues from there over Col de la Lombarde into Italy. But the main Tinée valley draws the motorist on to St-Étienne-de-Tinée where there are hotels, gîtes d’étape and a campsite, sufficient to prove tempting as a base for a few days. The ultra long-distance GR5 route, which makes a traverse of the French Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, comes through here, while more local trails climb the frontier side of the valley where numerous tarns lie cradled among wild and stony corries. Refuge de Rabuons is perched up by one of these tarns at an altitude of 2500 metres. Refuge de Vens is another, located further north at 2360 metres. Both have trails leading from them that stray over the border into Italy where other rifugios may tempt the enterprising walker into devising a hut-to-hut tour in the hills above the Valle Stura, from whose lower reaches access is given to the Parco Naturale dell’Argentera.

Parco Naturale dell’Argentera

The Italian Alpi Marittime boasts a few small glaciers draped among the north-facing slopes of the highest peaks. Like their French counterparts the upper valleys display a chaos of rocks, boulders and screes, but alpine meadows abound too, fringed here and there with stunted mountain pines. Outside the Argentera park, and located to the east of Col de Tende (Colle di Tenda), the dolomitic Marguareis (2651m) soars above the karst plateau of Conca delle Carsene which is honeycombed with vast sink-holes – a stark contrast to the granite of the Argentera where streams dash silver streaks from slope to slope and dozens of tarns rival those of the French side of the border.

The key to access to the Parco Naturale dell’Argentera is Cuneo, the first town of note on the Italian side of the mountains if coming from France via Col de Tende. A minor road breaks away from the Tende road at Roccavione, south of Cuneo, and heads south-west along the Valle della Valletta. Beyond Valdieri this divides and subdivides again with southern branches delving deep into the park through the Vallone della Rovina and the glens watered by the Gesso di Barra and the Bousset. Wild camping is prohibited in the Argentera park, but there’s an official campsite in Valdieri, and hotel accommodation in Valdieri, Sant’Anna di Valdieri and Terme di Valdieri.

Valle della Valletta

With Punta dell’Argentera spreading itself in a large imposing mass between Valle della Valletta and Vallone della Rovina it is natural that this should be the focus of attention here. The mountain consists of four main tops rising from an extensive ridge system thrusting forward from the main frontier crest in a south to north alignment, and there are four huts scattered on or near its various slopes: Rifugios Remondino, Genova, Bozano and Morelli. All, apart from the Genova hut which is reached from the Rovina glen, are approached by way of the Valle della Valletta or one of its tributaries, while Rifugio Franco Remondino (2430m) is also accessible by a tough cross-border route from Le Boréon by way of Col Guilié – on this route an ice axe may be deemed an essential piece of equipment due to extensive snowfields on the north side of the frontier ridge.

Without being drawn into activity on the highest peaks though, the walker will still find much to occupy his (or her) time here. From Terme di Valdieri where the Valletta forks, for example, a mule track laid during the mid-19th century when the whole area was declared a hunting reserve for King Vittorio Emanuel II, leads through forests and rocky outcrops, up to a region of lakes trapped in the stony wilderness of the frontier ridge: Lagos di Valscura, del Claus and delle Portette. An unguarded hut (Rifugio di Questa) stands on the north shore of this last lake at an altitude of 2388 metres. The three lakes are linked by a rough path that may be followed down to a fourth tarn, and beyond this into the lonely Freddo valley which eventually feeds into the Valle Stura near Ruviera.

Other tarns are accessible from the Valle della Valletta roadhead. Consider, for example, those which are lodged on a broad terrace under the frontier ridge near Cime de Frémamorte; a charming string of tarns and with a one-time military route enticing over the border into France to Col de Salèse. Instead of crossing that border at Col de Frémamorte, however, the Cime itself might appeal – there is a track which crosses screes below the south-east ridge and goes to the summit without difficulty.

GTA (Grande Traversata delle Alpi)

It is here in the Alpi Marittime that an epic 633 kilometre route begins its journey through the western Italian Alps. The GTA explores some of the most delightful mountain landscapes in Italy on its 47-day trek from Viozene near Ormea, to Molini di Calasca in the shadow of Monte Rosa. Gillian Price’s guide, Through the Italian Alps, gives all the information a walker needs to tackle what promises to become one of the great Alpine treks.

Having treated the heart of the Maritime Alps to a rather selective introduction, pointing out just a few of the opportunities that exist for walkers among some of the finest valleys, it seems opportune here to devise a tour of the region from hut-to-hut using the GR52 as a rough guide, but with a few diversions thrown in as a way of illustrating the district’s appeal. It will be a challenging route in places, and depending on one’s ambition for peak-bagging along the way, it might be useful to carry an ice axe. If a straight hut-to-hut route is envisaged during the summer months, such equipment can be left at home.

Hut-to-hut in the Alpes Maritime

Our route makes an east to west traverse, mostly on the French side of the border, and begins at St-Dalmas-de-Tende in the Vallée du Roya. St-Dalmas can be reached by train from Nice, and the first day will be spent walking up the Vallon de la Minière to Refuge des Merveilles. A minimum of two nights should be spent here in order to visit some of the pictograph sites, and to climb Mont Bégo or Cime du Diable (2685m). An alternative to spending two nights at the Merveilles hut would be to spend the second night at Refuge de Valmasque. This would still allow time to see some of the rock engravings, and to climb Mont Bégo.

Moving on cross the saddle of Baisse du Basto to Refuge de Nice, passing on the way some of the finest accessible rock engravings of the Merveilles region. Good visibility is needed for this crossing, for in mist the way is not obvious. Once there time should be spent exploring the area round the Nice hut; Mont Clapier may be climbed by enterprising walkers with a little scrambling experience, and it may also be tempting to cross the border by Pas de Pagari in order to spend a night in the Rifugio Pagari. Much will depend, of course, on the amount of time available.

Rock peaks above Refuge de Cougourde carry the Franco-Italian border

To continue the route westward go round Lac de la Fous, then climb up the west flank of the valley to Pas du Mont Colomb (2548m), and there make a diversion to the right for the ascent of the easy 2816 metre Mont Colomb which rewards with some splendid views. On the descent from the pass take caution if snow is still lying. An ice axe may be useful here in the early part of the summer. The trail leads down to Madone de Fenestre and the refuge, and once again there are plenty of distractions to delay further progress on the hut-to-hut traverse. Among the excuses to delay are possible ascents of Cime St-Robert and Cime du Gélas, and the temptation to stray across Col de Fenestre to visit Rifugio Dado Soria. It would also be feasible for strong walkers to descend in Italy after a night at the Dado Soria hut, and head through the valley of the Gesso di Barra to its junction with the Rovina glen, then return towards the frontier ridge via the Vallone della Rovina, spend a night in the Genova hut, and next day return to France by way of Col de la Ruine above Refuge de Cougourde. This would give a brief introduction to the north flank of the mountains.

Day 1:	St-Dalmas-de-Tende – Refuge des Merveilles
Day 2:	Refuge des Merveilles – Mont Bégo (or Cime du Diable) – Refuge des Merveilles
or:	Refuge des Merveilles – Mont Bégo – Refuge de Valmasque
Day 3:	Refuge des Merveilles (or Refuge de Valmasque) – Baisse du Basto – Refuge de Nice
Day 4:	Refuge de Nice – Mont Clapier – Refuge de Nice
or:	Refuge de Nice – Pas de Pagari – Rifugio Pagari
Day 5:	Refuge de Nice – Pas du Mont Colomb – Mont Colomb (optional) – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre
or:	Rifugio Pagari – Pas de Pagari – Pas du Mont Colomb – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre
Day 6:	Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Cime St-Robert or Cime du Gélas (optional) – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre
or:	Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Col de Fenestre – Rifugio Dado Soria
	Refugio Dado Soria – Gesso di Barra – Vallone della
	Rovina – Rifugio Genova
	Rifugio Genova – Col de la Ruine – Refuge de Cougourde
Day 7:	Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Pas des Ladres – Refuge de Cougourde
Day 8:	Refuge de Cougourde – Cime Guilié or Tête de Ruine – Refuge de Cougourde
or:	Refuge de Cougourde – Col Guilié – Rifugio Franco Remondino
	Rifugio Remondino – Punta dell’Argentera – Refuge de Cougourde
Day 9:	Refuge de Cougourde – Le Boréon – St-Martin-Vésubie

A more straightforward route across the mountains to Refuge de Cougourde resumes along GR52 from the Madone de Fenestre hut. The crossing here is made at the Pas des Ladres, but beyond the Lac de Trecolpas GR52 is abandoned in favour of an alternative trail which leads to the hut, while the waymarked route descends to the Vallée du Boréon. Since this is the last hut on our basic traverse it will be worth booking a bed for two or three nights in order to take advantage of the peak-bagging opportunities that abound. Rock climbers will be attracted to the quartet of Cougourde peaks that are thrust above the hut to the north-east, while mountain walkers with no pretensions towards climbing agility could find entertainment on the Cime Guilié or the Tête de Ruine. The two Lacs Bessons on the way to the Tête are also worth a visit in their own right, even if you have no interest in collecting summits. The big diversion here though, for experienced Alpine walkers, is to cross the border at Col Guilié and make for the Rifugio Franco Remondino, and there spend the night. Next day climb Punta dell’Argentera and return to the Cougourde hut. The West Col guide, Mercantour Park, gives the necessary route descriptions.

Finally descend to Le Boréon and on to St-Martin-Vésubie where a bus may be caught back to Nice.

The Maritime Alps

Location:

Astride the Franco–Italian border north of Nice. The range extends from Col de Larche in the north-west to Col de Tende in the south-east. In the heart of the region lie the Parco Naturale dell’Argentera and Parc National du Mercantour. The Maritime Alps form the southern limit of the Alpine chain.

Principal valleys:

On the Italian side these are Valle della Valletta, Vallone della Rovina and Gesso di Barra. Of the French valleys the main ones are the Tinée and Vésubie, with Vallée du Boréon, Vallon de la Madone de Fenestre and Vallon de la Gordolasque. Also Vallée des Merveilles, Vallon de la Minière and Vallée de Valmasque. The Vallée du Roya is important for access.

Principal peaks:

Punta dell’Argentera (3297m), Cime du Gélas (3143m), Mont Clapier (3045m), Mont Bégo (2872m)

Centres:

Valdieri and Terme di Valdieri on the Italian slope, St-Martin-Vésubie and St-Étienne-de-Tinée on the French side.

Huts:

A fair selection of huts exists on both sides of the range in the main areas of interest. Owned by either the CAF or CAI.

Access:

In Italy the best way is by train from Turin to Cuneo, and bus from there to Valdieri (for the Argentera). Train from Cuneo to Vernante (for the Palanfré). Trains also run from Nice to Cuneo. Nearest international airport is Turin. On the French side by plane or train to Nice. Train from Nice to St-Dalmas-de-Tende for the eastern Mercantour. Buses serve St-Martin-Vésubie from Nice and minibuses feed into selected tributary valleys.

Maps:

IGC sheet number 8, Alpi Marittime e Liguri for the Italian side of the mountains, at a scale of 1:50,000. The Didier Richard sheet 9, Mercantour massif et parc national – also at 1:50,000 has huts and the main walking routes clearly outlined for the French half of the range. For all areas of the French Alps, the most detailed maps for walkers are the IGN Serie Bleu at 1:25,000.

Guidebooks:

Mercantour Park – Maritime Alps by Robin Collomb (West Col) is useful for the main valleys and highest peaks in the national park. It also strays over the border for selected routes.

Walking the Alpine Parks of France & Northwest Italy by Marcia R. Lieberman (Cordee/The Mountaineers) describes a number of moderate walks in the Mercantour region.

Through the Italian Alps by Gillian Price (Cicerone Press) is a guide to the GTA (the Grande Traversata delle Alpi), which passes through the Alpi Marittime on its way to Monte Rosa.

The GR5 Trail by Paddy Dillon (Cicerone Press). The epic route from the Lake of Geneva to the Mediterranean passes through the Maritime Alps