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At La Brigue, take the road to Notre-Dame des Fontaines and park near marker 266 next to the chapel.
(S/E) Take the path to the left of the track. The start is quite steep, but you’ll soon find yourself in the undergrowth with a fairly clear view of the valley. A few gentle stretches allow you to catch your breath before reaching the Torrent des Fraches.
(1) The slope becomes steeper up to marker 269 and, through dense woodland, you emerge onto the border ridge at marker 270.
(2) A break is welcome; large boulders provide a spot to settle down with a view of Mont Saccarel, which lies ahead. From here, you’ll find French yellow markings, Italian red-white-red markings, and blue dots. Italian signposts indicate the GPS coordinates. Follow the track uphill to marker 270a.
(3) Take the path on the right, passing close to a sheep pen, and you’ll soon reach the tree line. The well-marked path winds its way up through the alpine meadow until it reaches the Pas de Saccarel.
(4) Turn right to quickly reach Mont Saccarel.
(5) A beautiful 360° view; you are on the French-Italian border but also at the boundary between Liguria and Piedmont, above the small ski resort of Monesi di Triora. Rhododendrons are very abundant; marmots are present.
Now head north and return to the Pas du Saccarel.
(4) Continue straight on along the track of the old salt road from Ventimiglia to Limone to reach the Pas de Basera.
(6) No more French signposts. Climb up to the left and reach Mont Tanarel.
(7) Continue along the ridge to the Pas de Tanarel at marker 277.
(8) From the Pas de Tanarel, tackle the final climb along the ridge to Cime Ventose, the easternmost peak in the whole of France.
(9) You will then look down over the village of Monesi, and if the weather permits, the view of the peaks is superb. All that remains is to make the continuous descent and return to the Pas de Tanarel.
(8) Turn right towards Notre-Dame des Fontaines. After the track’s three hairpin bends, a post from the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council marks the start of the path which descends to the right; you can see its switchbacks before it disappears into the trees. Leave the track for this path; the ground is not very rocky, which makes for easier going – see Practical Information. Reach the Cravirola valley and cross it below the waterfall.
(10) It offers a refreshing break before resuming the descent, which is a little rockier until you cross the Cravirola farm. Cows and horses roam freely on the path. Marker 276 has been moved; take the partially tarmac-surfaced path straight ahead until you reach the hamlet of Benz and the road at marker 274.
(11) There are just under 3 km left on the tarmac, or occasionally on paths running alongside the road, to reach
Notre-Dame des Fontaines (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
Difficult 
