Refuge des Merveilles - Refuge de Nice

This itinerary allows you to discover the wonders of this valley. In particular, the famous engravings such as Christ, the Tribal Chief and the Altar Rock. But be careful, these areas are monitored!

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Route in the Mercantour

Details

n°96725

Creation:
17 Jan 2015

Last update:
30 May 2022

Last review:
20 Oct 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.74 km
Average duration: 4h 45
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: No
Ascent: + 775 m
Descent: - 671 m
Highest point: 2,690 m
Lowest point: 2,117 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Mercantour, Vallée des Merveilles
District: Tende (06430)
Start: N 44.057481° / E 7.451789°
End: N 44.104525° / E 7.400505°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3741OT, 3841OT
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Photos

one of the many engravings in the Vallée des Merveilles

Description of the walk

Departure from the Refuge des Merveilles (S).

(1) Head west to find marker 93.

(2) Then head north on the^GR®52. Pass by the stones bearing the famous engravings of Christ, the Tribal Chief, and the Altar Rock, on the edge of Lac des Merveilles.

(3) Then begin the easy climb to Baisse de Valmasque.

(4) Begin the descent towards Lac du Basto. At marker 95, leave the path that leads to it on your right and stay on the^GR®52on your left. Overlook the lake and reach Baisse du Basto via an easy climb up the scree.

(5) Begin the last descent of the day, passing between the two small lakes of Vallon du Mont Chamineye and then reaching Lac Niré.

(6) Continue westwards, still on the^GR®

(7) Cross the Gordolasque to reach the Refuge de Nice or Victor de Cessole (E), today's stop.

Waypoints

S : km 0 - alt. 2,117 m - Refuge des Merveilles
1 : km 0.09 - alt. 2,133 m - Lac Long Supérieur
2 : km 0.75 - alt. 2,168 m - GR52 Marker 93
3 : km 2.13 - alt. 2,306 m - Lac des Merveilles
4 : km 3.78 - alt. 2,551 m - Marker 94. - Baisse de Valmasque
5 : km 5.99 - alt. 2,690 m - Marker 401. - Baisse du Basto
6 : km 7.65 - alt. 2,360 m - Lac Niré
7 : km 8.45 - alt. 2,233 m - Gordolasque
E : km 8.74 - alt. 2,221 m - Refuge de Nice

Notes

The engravings in these places should be viewed from a distance. In summer, the Mercantour Park rangers ensure that tourists do not cause any disturbances.

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

Coeur du Parc national du Mercantour - more information

Worth a visit

Christ, the most famous of the engravings, is not the original here. What we are admiring is an exact copy. The original stone can be seen in the museum in Tende.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5

Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5

Route interest
4.4 / 5

Mareve

20 Oct 2025 at 10:00 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A challenging hike due to its length and elevation gain. In addition, we encountered snow, which added to the difficulty. Eight hours of walking.
At the Nice refuge, we received a warm welcome, but it was noisy and full. We wanted bunks "downstairs". Given the snow and knowing the pace of Mont Coulomb, we cancelled our last stage at Madone de Fenêtre. The descent to Le Countet went smoothly.

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User 26808092

18 Aug 2025 at 19:17 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The trail is popular, but we didn't feel like there were too many people.
The hike is difficult, which is what we expected.
From the Refuge des Merveilles, you can take a three-hour guided tour of the Vallée des Merveilles.
Two passes are on the itinerary for this hike. The descent to the Refuge de Nice is endless, through a scree slope. The two lakes are visible well before you reach them.
The view is magnificent, lunar but magnificent.
You will receive a warm welcome at the refuge, which is only accessible by helicopter.

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Manucoyote

03 Aug 2023 at 17:00 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike starting at the Pont du Countet. Apart from a ten-metre stretch at the Basto descent, there are no particular difficulties. It's a shame that this section isn't better maintained. I think it's less tricky in the other direction.

Lots of chamois, ibex and a few marmots. The passage through the Vallée des Merveilles with its paintings lives up to all its promises!

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Toubab38

08 Aug 2022 at 12:32 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A tough climb for us, as we were carrying heavy loads. We reached the summit during a storm, which made the rocks slippery.
If you don't like scree slopes, this route is not for you.
One or two sections are tricky, particularly at the Basto pass, which has been badly damaged by frequent use.

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grandin

09 Aug 2018 at 12:28 7200

Thank you, Gallico, for your opinion. The author is not responsible for the time indicated; it is calculated by software based on distance and elevation, so it should not be considered part of the description actually written by the author.

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gallico

09 Aug 2018 at 11:53 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A truly beautiful hike, very reliable route but time really underestimated... Talking to locals, the time is more like 5.5-6 hours, which is much closer to reality

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bernardino

16 Sep 2017 at 09:03 7200

Hello and thank you very much for these interesting comments. Regarding the comment about Medium in the description, it is true that the description is brief, but the route is absolutely clear and is also marked by the GR trail.
As for the comment about tricky sections, it's important to remember that you are in the mountains here, where the terrain can be challenging at times, and that the paths are naturally stony and rocky in places.

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declomesnil

13 Sep 2017 at 13:06 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The hike is very good, even without stopping at the Neolithic sites we visited the day before with a guide. Beautiful panoramic views. The route is described as difficult, and we would like to point out that crossing the Basto pass before the Nice refuge is very tricky and could be dangerous in wet conditions. This is at the start of the descent, on very steep, unstable ground. It doesn't last long, perhaps 30 metres. Also, just for clarification, but there is no danger, between the Valmasque and Basto passes, the entire route is over scree, so you have to jump from rock to rock. Thank you.

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JEAN MARIE JOUVE

21 Aug 2017 at 09:38 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We went on a superb hike with friends during a week-long route in the Mercantour.
The hike may be a little more difficult than advertised. This hike allows you to discover the engravings, and it is recommended to take a guide, which we did and it was great. The area is also rich in wildlife, including marmots, chamois and ibex.

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abenke

28 Sep 2016 at 06:35 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Specify that the climb from the bottom is very difficult. The times were underestimated

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