| Mercantour national park | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  France |
|---|---|
| Region | Alps |
| IUCN Category | II (National Park) |
| Area | 685 km² (central area) 1 460 km² (peripheral area) |
| Location | |
 44 ° 8 ′ 59 ″ N 7 ° 5 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
the Mercantour national park is located in the south of French alps, straddling the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes de Haute Provence. This exceptional natural setting is a good place for lovers of outdoor sports activities such as hiking and skiing.
Understand
To go
The park extends over several valleys, and therefore presents many possibilities of access. The journey time therefore depends on the point of departure and the place of arrival. From the towns of the Côte d'Azur, count between 1 h and 4 h of road.
By bus
The network Azure lines offers seasonal buses to get there for a small price. It is possible to board at several places in Nice (Vauban bus station, Thiers SNCF station, airport) or on the way.
- In summer, Randobus (3 € go, shopping on the bus) lead to various high places for hiking (and other activities):
- Bus 730: towards La Colmiane; possibility of stopping at Roquebillière or Saint-Martin Vésubie to take a free shuttle leading to the beginnings of hiking trails.
- Bus 740: to Isola-Village, Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée and Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage.
- Bus 770: towards Valberg.
- In winter, the 100% snow bus allow you to reach the stations of Auron, Isola 2000, Valberg, Colmiane, Roubion and Boréon (3 € one way ticket, 5 € return not necessarily the same day). The reservation is made on the website of Azure Lines up to 3 days in advance, and up to 2 days without guarantee of available space. It is possible to try your luck without a reservation, but it could be full.
To see
- In Tende, the Museum of Wonders is an archaeological museum dedicated to the valley of the same name, it brings together the discoveries made in the Valley, not far from there. Open every day except Tuesday. Free admission.
- Museum of Wonders
Do
Hiking
There are many hiking trails in the Mercantour (in the Park and in the rest of the massif), the best known are:
- 1 Valley of Wonders ,
33 4 93 04 64 64 – it is a prehistoric site where you can see rock carvings. The ideal is to do the circuit in two days, you will then have to sleep at the refuge des Merveilles, managed by the French Alpine Club (it is imperative to reserve your place in a refuge, phone: 0493046464). - the GR5 and GR52 : these Grande Randonnée trails cross the Mercantour from one end to the other. These hikes can only be done in several days.
- The General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes publishes a hiking guide, the guide Randoxygen High Country hike which brings together 60 hikes, of various difficulties in the Mercantour Park or around it. This guide is available free of charge from tourist offices, houses in the National Park or on Internet. Among those:
- 2 Lac Nègre (to Saint-Martin Vésubie, then direction “le Boréon”, start of the trail at 3 Salèze parking lot . By bus: RandoBus 730 to Saint-Martin Vésubie, then shuttle to Boréon / Salèze car park.) – This more hike 600 m of elevation gain will take you first through the undergrowth before reaching more open areas offering superb views of the surrounding mountains and very cool streams. Finally you will arrive at a superb glacial lake, a good place to picnic and soak your legs (or the whole body for the less cautious). The route continues north beyond the Italian border. If you come by bus, you probably won't have time (except running) to venture on the other routes in the allotted time (approximate arrival: 10 h, departure of the shuttle: 16 h).
- 4 Mont Mounier hike (from Valberg or Beuil) – An alpine hike of 1,200 meters of elevation and 9-12 km to go.
Lac Long Supérieur and Lac Fourca. Hiking from Lac des Mesches to the refuge des Merveilles.
View of the Roche de l'Elat, a stele covered with rock engravings.
"Vitrified wall". Engravings of the Valley of Wonders.
Lake near the refuge of wonders.
Lac Nègre (towards the Pas du Préfouns). With the Tête des Tablasses (2855m).
Lake Trécolpas. In the background, Mont Pélago (2768 m), Cime de Baissette (2822 m) and Tête de la ruine (2984 m).
Partial view of the resort of Valberg, in the North-East the Mont-Mounier massif (2817 m).
Winter at the Mercantour.
Lac d'Allos at the end of spring.
Perimeter of the heart of the Mercantour National Park.
Eat
Housing
In the villages
Most of the villages located in the Mercantour massif (on the outskirts of the Park) have at least one hotel as well as guest rooms or campsites, they also all have at least one restaurant and / or inn, sometimes more.
In the mountains
There are several guarded refuges in the Mercantour, nestled in the middle of the mountains, most of the time several hours' walk from the first road. These huts are managed by the French Alpine Club and offer a catering service. It is often imperative to reserve. Inquire about the French Alpine Club website.
Note : taking into account the geographical extent and the differences between the villages, it is advisable to find out about the precise possibilities of accommodation and catering before leaving, at the tourist offices for example.
Respect
The mountain is a fragile ecosystem, here more than elsewhere, it is necessary to show good citizenship and respect the environment.
- Within the National Park, a certain number of rules must be observed.
- Dogs are prohibited, even on a leash
- It is forbidden to pick or collect anything (fruits, flowers, minerals)
- No hunting, no gun
- Take away your waste, in nature it will take a long time to disappear
- No fire
- No camping
- With or without engine, no vehicle (including bicycles)
- Respect the tranquility of nature: no excessive noise
- No overflight or air sports unless 1000 meters of the ground
- Regulated bivouac
- The heritage of the Vallée des Merveilles, after having spanned the millennia, has suffered man-made degradation which has prompted Park officials to take conservation measures.
- In some areas of the valley, it is forbidden to leave the trails without a guide
- It is forbidden to touch the engravings and to walk on them
- It is forbidden to use canes or shod sticks
Security
Little risk of aggression in this sector, the advice below is intended especially for those who wish to venture into the mountains: Although the Mercantour is close to the Mediterranean, it is nonetheless a mountainous massif. , with all the risks that this entails. So follow these few safety tips:
- Choice of route : choose a hike within your reach and remember that in the mountains, what counts is not the distance but the difference in height (negative and positive) as well as the travel time. It is best to take a topographic map (IGN Top 25, for example), so that you can find your way around if you get lost.
- Personal equipment : Wear good shoes: sports shoes should be worn, the best course being to wear high hiking shoes. Provide enough water (at least 1.5 liters per day and per person) as well as warm clothes and against the rain: in the mountains, the weather can change very quickly, the heat giving way to cold and rain.
- If you have to sleep in a refuge, reserve your place.
