From Pont du Countet to the Refuge des Merveilles

Park at the car park at the end of the Route de Gordolasque: limited spaces during the season, please consider carpooling.

(S/E) Cross the Pont du Countet bridge over the Gordolasque and head to the junction at marker 412.

(1) Instead of taking the classic Pas de l'Arpette path, continue right, heading due south along the opposite bank of the Gordolasque, towards the Verrairiers valley. Cover the first kilometre at a steady pace to leave the valley floor via tight hairpin bends and reach the junction at the entrance to the Empuorame valley.

(2) Turn right at the hairpin bend, cross a larch forest and follow the path as it curves widely to the left and continues the climb to reach the entrance to the Vallon des Verrairiers, a vast cirque of mountain pastures dominated by the Cime des Verrairiers (2,386 m) to the east and the Mont des Merveilles (2,641 m) to the north.

(3) Continue along the increasingly faint path, carefully following the cairns. Reach the Pas du Trem (2,477 m) at marker 403: the highest point of the stage, a small pass nestled at the foot of the Cime du Diable (2,685 m), which can be climbed and descended in 1 hour from the pass (+200 m, no technical difficulty). From the pass, there is a spectacular view to the south over the Authion and the Col de Turini; on a clear day, you can see as far as the Mediterranean.

(4) Begin the descent and follow a few clearly marked hairpin bends to marker 404 at the Lacs du Diable, one of which is often dry by late summer. Join the GR®52 at this point.

(6) Continue straight on along the GR®52, which heads north-east on a gentle slope. Pass in turn Lac de la Muta (a deep blue gem), Lac du Trem, then Lac Fourca, all set in a magnificent rocky landscape. To the north, Mont Bégo (2,872 m) stands majestically; this will be tomorrow’s destination. Reach the Refuge des Merveilles (E).

Recommended equipment

• High-top hiking boots with good grip: unstable terrain on the scree slope below the Pas du Trem.
• Windbreaker and fleece (frequent wind at the pass).
• Cap, sunglasses, high-factor sun cream.
• At least 2 litres of water: no drinking water sources; lake water not recommended.
• IGN TOP25 map 3741 OT Vallée de la Vésubie / Mercantour National Park.
• GPS or downloaded route strongly recommended: cairn markings are unreliable in the Vallon des Verrairiers and the final scree slope.

Access to the starting point at Pont du Countet

• From Nice: ~1h30 drive via the A8 → RD6202 (Var Valley) → Plan-du-Var → RD2565 (Vésubie Valley) → Roquebillière → RD171 via Belvédère and Saint-Grat → Pont du Countet car park (marker 411)
• Parking spaces are limited during the season — a real-time traffic monitoring system is in place: please consider carpooling and public transport.