Castérino – Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende

After two days in the high mountains, this route will take you back into the Roya Valley. You’ll look out over the Vallon de Castérino and Lac des Mesches, before descending rapidly to Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende via the Chemin des Bois.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Autour de Castérino après la Tempête Alex

Details

n°16918426
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.97 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 633 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,451 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,361 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,274 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Areas: Alps, Mercantour
  • ⚐ City: Tende (06430)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 44.097937° / E 7.505896°
  • ⚑
    End: N 44.056262° / E 7.584544°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3841OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S) From the Hôtel des Mélèzes, heading south-east, take the D 91 road to the Gasis bridge. As you approach this bridge, the road remains severely damaged and will require repairs during 2022.
See the ‘Practical Information’ section for details of the signposting

(1) Leave the D 91, cross the bridge and follow a signposted path through the new, widened riverbed of the torrent, until you reach a marker post, then head uphill towards a section of the old path.

(2) Follow the old path until you reach a new signpost.

(3) Head downwards towards the west, then turn south-east. Pass Lake Castérino on your right and begin the climb up the new section of the Valaire path. Continue until you reach the new marker 345.

(4) Rejoin the Valaire path and continue until you reach a junction with the end of the Piste de Spegi.

(5) Heading east then north-east, you’ll soon reach another fork in the path. (Signpost for Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende).

(6) Turn right onto the Chemin des Bois and begin the descent. Continue through the forest, taking care to stay on the left-hand path at two small junctions not shown on the map, as you approach the junction with the path coming from Mairise.

(7) Still heading east, stay on the Chemin des Bois until you reach marker 347

(8) Leave the Chemin des Bois, which leads to Tende. Turn right, following the sign for Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende. Continue the steep descent to the entrance to the village.

(9) Take the small road and join the D 6204 (Avenue Jean Médecin).
Turn right heading south. Take great care on the D 6204 (there is no pavement for approximately 100 m). Continue to the junction with Avenue des Martyrs de la Résistance (D 91 – Route de Castérino).
You will arrive at the imposing Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende railway station. (E)

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 5,092 ft - Hôtel les Mélèzes
  2. 1 : mi 0.73 - alt. 4,970 ft - Pont des Gasis
  3. 2 : mi 1.08 - alt. 4,984 ft - Head back up to the left
  4. 3 : mi 1.24 - alt. 5,007 ft - Head down towards the - Lac de Casterino
  5. 4 : mi 2.36 - alt. 5,144 ft - New Marker 345. Overhanging the - Lac des Mesches
  6. 5 : mi 4.55 - alt. 4,432 ft - End of the Valaire path
  7. 6 : mi 4.79 - alt. 4,331 ft - Chemin des Bois
  8. 7 : mi 5.5 - alt. 3,750 ft - Junction with the Mairise path
  9. 8 : mi 5.78 - alt. 3,629 ft - Marker 347
  10. 9 : mi 6.46 - alt. 2,395 ft - Route. Valley of the - Roya (fleuve)
  11. E : mi 6.97 - alt. 2,287 ft - Gare de Saint-Dalmas de Tende

Notes

? Sturdy walking boots, warm clothing.
? No water available along the route.
? Trains from Nice to Tende.
At (8) for those wishing to return to Tende: Stay on the Chemin des Bois and join the Piste de Spegi at marker 342.

Nouveau Balisage
New signposting
Nouvelle balise 345
New marker 345

Special signposting has been put in place: Castérino. Les Mesches–Tende on a light green background
From (1) to (4), the path has been re-routed to make use of the existing sections that have withstood the elements, as well as sections through the pebbles of the stream bed, which has widened considerably. Please follow the signposting carefully.
New Marker 345: It has been moved approximately 250 m to direct walkers onto the new path towards Castérino. Following a landslide after the passage of ALEX, the old path has been partially destroyed beyond the junction leading to the Mesches footbridge.
This new path was constructed in early summer 2021.
From (3) to (4), the path is entirely new. It does not appear on any map.
For those wishing to reach the Refuge des Merveilles via Les Mesches, this has once again been possible since mid-summer 2021, by continuing as far as the old marker 345. The footbridge was still impassable at the start of summer 2021 – see the photo. Since then, restoration work has been carried out on the footbridge, making it passable.
Please also refer to the ‘Practical Information’ section on the route’s page.

Worth a visit

  • Castérino hamlet
  • Lake Castérino.
  • Valaire Path.
  • Lake des Mesches.
  • Chemin des Bois.
  • Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 1 review

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
MARTIN THIERRY
MARTIN THIERRY

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The ALEX disaster meant that the track had to be rebuilt. Some sections have been reinforced, but the work will need to be repeated in 2022 during the warmer months to ensure that the track has not been damaged again.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.