Boréon Circular Route

A circular hike around the lower part of the Salèse valley, passing the Cavalet and Erps cattle pastures, Lac du Boréon, the waterfall and the larch forests. A short hike suitable for the height of summer, as much of the route is shaded.

(Please note): The route description is likely no longer accurate following Storm Alex, as the route was mapped out before the storm.

Details

n°3673497

Creation:
26 Jul 2020

Last update:
22 Apr 2021

Last review:
15 Aug 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 5.22 mi
Average duration: 3h 50
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,598 ft
Descent: - 1,617 ft
Highest point: 5,994 ft
Lowest point: 4,488 ft

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Mercantour
City: Saint-Martin-Vésubie (06450)
Start/End: N 44.122567° / E 7.271105°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3741OT
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Photos

Description of the walk

Park in one of the car parks near marker 399.

(S/E) Take a forest track that winds its way up towards the Col de Cerise. Follow this track, which turns into a wide, very pleasant path under the trees. There are no difficulties or risks of getting lost until you reach the Vacherie du Cavalet.

(1) The path descends alongside the stream; to avoid getting your feet wet, keep to the left and stay on higher ground.

(2) At marker 373, turn left towards the Vacherie des Erps (marker 378).

(3) Turn right towards Le Boréon and begin a beautiful descent alongside a torrent. You’ll reach the junction at marker 377.

(4) Turn right to continue downhill. Then take a path on the left which cuts across a bend in the track and leads to a junction.

(5) From there, it is normally possible to cut across to the lake, but on the day we were there, an electric fence blocked the way. So carry on along the road for a less pleasant walk, though one made more enjoyable by the view of the Boréon Waterfall.

(6) Continue downhill through a series of tight hairpin bends. This will take you to marker 389.

(7) Turn right onto a path that climbs through the larch trees. Take care, as parts of the path have been washed away by scree or snowmelt.

(8) Marker 390: ignore the path on the left leading up to the small pass of Estrisson and carry straight on.

(9) Marker 398: turn right to cross the bridge and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,226 ft - Car park near marker 399
1 : mi 1.58 - alt. 5,951 ft - Cavalet Dairy
2 : mi 1.84 - alt. 5,945 ft - Marker 373
3 : mi 2.2 - alt. 5,748 ft - Vacherie des Erps
4 : mi 2.48 - alt. 5,381 ft - Marker 377
5 : mi 2.9 - alt. 4,941 ft - Return via the tarmac road
6 : mi 3.69 - alt. 4,701 ft - Boréon Waterfall
7 : mi 4.19 - alt. 4,514 ft - Marker 389
8 : mi 4.98 - alt. 5,085 ft - Marker 390
9 : mi 5.14 - alt. 5,157 ft - Marker 398
S/E : mi 5.22 - alt. 5,207 ft - Car park near marker 399

Notes

No water sources identified.
Make sure you wear good walking boots, as the terrain is quite rugged in places.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Coeur du Parc national du Mercantour - more information

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5

Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5

Ease of following the route
5 / 5

Route interest
4.3 / 5

Clephika83

15 Aug 2025 at 18:42 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Currently, there is construction work being carried out at Lake Boréon and above, which means that many trucks are travelling on the road between points 5 and 7, causing dust and noise. This hike will be more enjoyable once the work is completed

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boss07

04 Jun 2024 at 19:08 7200

I can confirm, as at 4 June 2024, that the section of the walk just before point 8 is in a very poor state.
The path has not been cleared since the two storms, Alex and Aline. At the end, only the footbridge is still in good condition, but you have to climb down into the deepened bed of the Vésubie to find a way to reach it. I therefore advise against walking the final section of the route. It’s a shame, as the rest of the walk is very pleasant.

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Fred.N

29 Jan 2024 at 08:40 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

On the day of my walk, 27/01/24, the final section of the route (just before point 8) was virtually impassable due to numerous fallen trees blocking the path following a recent storm. As things stand, I’d advise heading back along the road towards the car park after point 5. The path will no doubt be cleared soon, but do check beforehand.

Apart from that, the first part of the walk is well worth the effort.

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Al49

09 Aug 2023 at 18:10 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There are no obstacles or difficulties on this route, the description of which is 100 per cent accurate despite the impact of Storm Alex; any damaged sections have all been repaired. Thank you for this lovely walk; our favourite part was the first half between markers 399 and 377. The climb back up through the forest to the starting point is also very pleasant, with the stream crossed via a small wooden bridge.

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jeff.thibaud

02 Jul 2023 at 21:44 7200

Great, thanks for the information 😊

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Coralie D.

26 Jun 2023 at 17:44 7200

We did this walk in June 2023; despite Storm Alex, the whole route is still walkable, although the path had to be re-marked towards the end as I think part of it had been washed away by the storm.

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