Roubion walks

A short hike at the foot of the Falcon rock faces, in a varied landscape: climb through a sparse forest of spruce and Scots pine, enjoy beautiful views of the valley from the Falcon ridge, then descend among the sheepfolds and hamlets of Falcon and Les Vallons. This hike is featured in the short guidebook "Rando Passion" published by the Roubion tourist office. The elevation gain is lower than that indicated by Visorando, at around 400 metres.

This is a magnificent hike that starts in the picturesque medieval village of Roubion, with part of the trail already described on Visorando. Partly shaded by the forest, it will guide you through the Bois du Falcon and the meadows to the foot of Mont Buissière, at the Col de la Couillole, then to the Pin Pourri, where you can admire the Tête de Giarons and its vast meadows. The return journey will take you through the charming hamlet of Villars.

Starting from the charming village of Roubion – well worth a visit for its painted doors – you’ll head up towards Les Buisses via the Chapel of Saint-Sébastien (with its remarkable frescoes). After climbing Le Puy, you’ll descend through the forest to the Vallon de Saint-Sébastion, passing through some impressive and surprising natural arches. Finally, a final climb will offer you another view of the village.

This mountain hike is accessible to people who are prone to vertigo. As you walk along the Ars ridge, you will have a 360° view of Mont Brussière and the summit of Le Content. In summer, you may be lucky enough to see a golden eagle and a rich variety of mountain flora, with many different butterflies fluttering overhead. You may also encounter cows, sheep and goats, but please take care not to disturb them.

A challenging hike. Ascent through the superb larch forest of La Fracha. Most of the route is through forest, except for the climb to Autcellier and Pervoux.

The hike through the Fracha Forest, starting from the village of Roure, follows a well-marked trail that gradually winds its way up through the larch trees. The route, which is not particularly difficult, offers a moderate elevation gain and regular passages through the undergrowth, ideal for warming up. The viewpoints over the valley allow you to appreciate the Cime de Roubion and the neighbouring ridges, before returning via a comfortable and perfectly marked circular route.

A very beautiful walk/hike that begins with a crossing of the beautiful Couillole valley. The Ibac de Frache is a magnificent coniferous forest. The descent through the mountain pasture areas from Pin Pourri is still used for transhumance.

This route begins in woodland where wild strawberries grow, followed by an unusual, little-used canal, before joining the GR®5. The beautiful village of Roure is well worth a visit: original wash house, fountains, a wealth of renowned local heritage.

This nineteenth stage continues the long traverse of the Mercantour. From the Refuge de Longon, the path descends the Vallon du Longon diagonally across the slope to the hamlet of Rougios, before following the Fracha forest road and then taking a shortcut to the pretty Provençal village of Roure. Via a stony descent, it cuts across the hairpin bends of the M130 and M30 roads and reaches Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, which it passes through before climbing up to the Chapelle Saint-Roch. Running along the hillside, it crosses the Vallon du Romarinier, passes through the hamlet of Roubinastre, crosses the Ravin de l’Esclosé and arrives at Rimplas. The GR®5 descends gently towards the small pass of Ragias and crosses the Vallon Gros, before climbing back up to the ridge on that side of the slope and then skirting the hamlet of La Bolline. From there, it climbs to the hamlet of La Roche and then ascends the ridge of the Vallon de Bramafam to reach Saint-Dalmas Valdeblore.

A very lovely walk, sometimes through woodland, sometimes across alpine pastures, offering a stunning 360° panorama from the summit of the Tête de Pommier.

This hike, starting from the Gorges du Cians road, takes you up Les Cluots, a mountain located in a steppe area above the red pelite of the Cians. Set back from the Mercantour massif, the summit offers a superb 360° panorama of the Alpes-Maritimes.

A very beautiful hike starting from the Tinée Valley to discover the lost hamlet of Mollières. It is a bit long but has a very gradual climb, making it easily accessible. Temporary ban in 2023, see notices.

A very pretty circular route in the Tinée Valley featuring an abandoned hamlet, magnificent climbs through the woods and breathtaking views of several villages in the area.

A magnificent round-trip hike offering views overlooking the Gorges du Cians and their red schist cliffs. Stunning views throughout the route. Plenty of flowers, including a few martagon lilies in early June. The final section of the route is off-trail but presents no difficulty in finding your way by sight.

Starting from the hamlet of Les Launes, this circular hike takes you to Lac de Beuil, nestled in a sinkhole at the foot of Tête de l'Ubac, before climbing to Tête du Garnier for a magnificent panorama over the entire Beuil-Valberg area, as far as Mont Mounier and Mercantour in the distance.

A beautiful hike to discover Valdeblore and the pretty village of La Bolline. This route offers extensive views of La Bolline and La Roche, as well as the Fort de Rimplas.

A magnificent hike with breathtaking views, particularly over the Tinée valley; not very long and easy. Allow between 3 and 3½ hours to complete this sublime route, which is perfectly suited to average but fit walkers. Furthermore, there are no navigation difficulties on this well-marked route. In summer, it is best to walk this route in a clockwise direction.

Mont Mounier (2,817m) is one of the must-see peaks in the Alpes Maritimes: magnificent panoramas, 360° views from the summit, a beautiful ridge at the end, a fairly steady and easy 1,100m climb with views of the summit almost all the way.

A short, very easy trail, ideal for a family walk, in an area frequented by marmots.

From the Éguilles car park, at the end of the road of the same name, you will descend the Vallon de Challandre and then climb back up to the Plateau Saint-Jean with some beautiful views of the Gorges du Cians and the Tête de Rigaud towering above them. After a short detour to the Chapelle Saint-Jean chapel, you will cross the plateau with Mont Mounier in your sights.

A beautiful hike that will allow you to discover a lovely forest and a superb 360° panorama from the Cime de Raton. The ridge line that follows offers a succession of sweeping views with picture-postcard scenery. The route is not very busy.

A very fine walk in the middle country of the Alpes Maritimes, alternating between open views and coniferous forests. The 360° panorama from the Lauvet d'Ilonse is well worth the diversions: you can see the whole of the Mercantour and the main peaks of the mid-country.

The Lauvet d’Ilonse walk is very accessible. Mostly following the ridge line, it offers views of many surrounding peaks: the Mounier to the north-west and numerous Mercantour peaks on the border with Italy.

A very pleasant mule track, built by the people of Ilonzo, used for centuries to link the hamlets of Irougne and Le Pous, providing access to farmland and pastures. The path leading to the Col de Fourches is wide but very steep.

Ideal for learning to ride a mountain bike, this ride, high above the resort, takes you to the hamlet of La Colle, the starting point for the walk to the marmot site, home to the Alps’ iconic animals. The route begins on a tarmac road and continues along a dirt track.

Starting from the Valberg Golf Club car park, a short (1h40) but intense trail marked as a Green Trail. Lac de Beuil invites you to take a break; you’ll enjoy the return via the Sentier Yoga on the balcony path.

This walk around La Bolline, a village in Valdeblore, takes you along pretty paths through wooded valleys. It takes you to the village of La Bolline, the Chapel of Sainte-Croix des Pénitents Blancs, the fountain in Place de Casetto (1857) and the Church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur (17th century), as well as the village of La Roche and the Chapel of the Pénitents Noirs de l'Annonciation.

This hike is mainly through forest and offers beautiful views of the Alps. The Clamia ridge is a rocky outcrop facing the village of Rimplas, which overlooks the Tinée valley.

A constant play of colours: the reddish hue of the Cians accompanies us all day long on a physically demanding route that ultimately rewards us with a magical and magnificent 360° view.

This is a must-do short hike if you are visiting Isola. Clearly visible from the village, the waterfall is nearly 90 metres high and offers canyoning opportunities for enthusiasts. The path is well marked and properly maintained.

A beautiful circular hike starting from the village of Lieuche, taking you to the summit of Brec d'Ilonse, which offers a beautiful view of the Mercantour massif and the village of the same name. The hike passes through the beautiful village of Thiéry, which is well worth a visit. The route is long and requires a good level of fitness, although it does not present any technical difficulties.

Starting from the Isola 2000 resort, hike towards the Lausfer lakes and, following the French-Italian border, return via the Col de la Lombarde.

A technical hike starting from Isola 2000 that will take you to the highest point in the area, with breathtaking views of the resort and the Italian Alps. Up to the beautiful Terre Rouge Lakes and Baisse du Druos, this route is accessible to all; things get a little more challenging once you reach Italy.

An easy round trip hike that allows you to discover a wild area very close to the Isola 2000 ski resort. During the ascent, you will pass close to the 5 Lacs de Terre Rouge lakes before arriving at the Baisse du Druos, which offers a beautiful view of the many Lacs Supérieurs de Valscura lakes. Although this route is outside the Mercantour National Park, you may encounter some chamois.

A viewpoint over Mont Viso (weather permitting!); in any case, a wild landscape just a few minutes from civilisation (Isola 2000 resort).

A relatively easy summit above Isola 2000, the Cime de la Lombarde offers superb views of the French and Italian Alps. The route described here is a beautiful circular loop that is relatively uncrowded, except for chamois, and offers beautiful views of the Orgials and Rio Freddo valleys.

A very beautiful hike starting from Isola 2000, allowing you to discover six lakes, some of which are in Italian territory. The hike is varied in that it follows a fairly busy route offering magnificent views, as well as a much wilder and less frequented section. The numerous lakes and water sources along the way are an invitation to cool off. Please note: there are some difficulties on the terrain => see § Practical information.

An excellent area to prepare for the alpine summer season. Areal pleasure to explore this wooded massif, home to a rich variety of species and one of the most beautiful forests in the Alpes-Maritimes department. This paved slanting street, these terraced walls and these ruins bear witness to an ancient agricultural tradition.