Ruins of Rocca Spavièra as seen from the Col de la Porte

de fr

An equally captivating round-trip route offering access to the ruins of the ancient village of Rocca Sparvièra and the Chapel of Saint-Michel, starting from the Col de la Porte and crossing the Col de l’Autaret.

Details

n°66770756
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.02 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,814 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,791 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,170 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,448 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Mont Mounier
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Utelle
Saint Michel Chapel
Ruins of Rocca Spavièra

Description of the walk

From Nice, head towards the Paillon Valley, then on to the village of Lucéram. As you leave the village, turn left onto the D2566 towards the Col Saint-Roch. At Col Saint-Roch, turn left onto the D73 towards Lauda and the Col de la Porte. Park at the Col de la Porte, situated 2 km from the junction, in the designated car park. Please note that the Col de la Porte is not signposted.

(S/E) From the Col de la Porte, marker 189, take the track heading north-west to reach the location of marker 194, which no longer exists at present: this path has recently been renovated over a short stretch and is not yet signposted.

(1) Leave the track and take the path that climbs to the left, along the mountainside, then leads to a plateau covered in pine trees and ends at marker 449 at the Col de l’Obe.

(2) Carry on straight ahead, ignoring the path that branches off to the left towards the Cime de Rocca Siera.
The path climbs gently and leads to the Plat de la Liberté.

(3) The path then descends southwards, before climbing gently again to reach the Col de l’Autaret.

(4) Continue straight on, following the mountain’s contour towards the south-west. The path descends gently to marker 447.

(5) Carry on straight ahead to the ruins of the old village of Rocca Sparvièra and the Chapel of Saint-Michel.

(6) Turn round and return to the car park (S/E) by following the same route back as on the way there.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,455 ft - Car park - Col de la Porte (1057m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.83 - alt. 3,609 ft - Marker 194
  3. 2 : mi 1.75 - alt. 4,006 ft - Marker 449 - Col de l'Obe (1224m)
  4. 3 : mi 2.44 - alt. 4,091 ft - Plat de la Liberté
  5. 4 : mi 3.49 - alt. 4,170 ft - Marker 448 - Col de l'Autaret (1270m)
  6. 5 : mi 3.91 - alt. 3,944 ft - Marker 447
  7. 6 : mi 4.51 - alt. 3,510 ft - Chapelle Saint-Michel (Roccasparviera)
  8. S/E : mi 9.02 - alt. 3,455 ft - Car park

Notes

There are no water sources available on this walking trail, so it is advisable to carry water, wear good walking shoes and avoid using the trail when it is very hot. You should also be careful of flocks of sheep and guard dogs.

Worth a visit

Visit the medieval village of Lucéram, renowned for its Nativity Scene Route in December.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Roby06
Roby06

Thank you, Danouche, for your reply. It’s best to do this route in spring or autumn, as it gets too hot in this area in summer.

Machine-translated

Danouche
Danouche

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very good, with a few icy patches

Machine-translated

Roby06
Roby06

Thank you for your message.

Machine-translated

jvsiboni@orange.fr
jvsiboni@orange.fr

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A well-planned and very convenient route

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Cime de Roccassièra

Visorando Member
Cime de Roccassièra
↔6.85 mi ↗+1,896 ft ↘-1,890 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
Starting from the Col de Porte, a panoramic hike between the Vésubie Valley and the Paillons Valley offers a splendid view of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Mercantour mountain range.

Walking The Cime de Rocca Sièra from the Col de la Porte

Visorando Member
La Cime de Rocca Sièra depuis le Col de la Porte
↔5.83 mi ↗+2,287 ft ↘-2,290 ft ◔4h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
A very pleasant walk, with the Cime de Rocca Sièra constantly in view throughout the route After a short walk through the forest, the ascent leads to a ridge offering an exceptional 360° panorama. The view is well worth the effort.

Walking The hamlet of Béasse and Peïra Cava from La Gabelle

Visorando Member
Le hameau de Béasse et Peïra Cava depuis la Gabelle
↔9.66 mi ↗+3,018 ft ↘-3,012 ft ◔7h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
This is a long and beautiful hike through magnificent forests, taking you through the abandoned hamlet of Béasse, uninhabited for many years, before passing through Peira Cava for another descent through birch and conifer trees.

Walking Planfaé Stream

Visorando Member
↔2.08 mi ↗+666 ft ↘-653 ft ◔1h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Coaraze (Alpes-Maritimes)
Useful information: until further notice, swimming and canyoning are prohibited under a local by-law, with fines applicable. Signs are posted at the start of the walk. A short walk or mini-hike, mostly through woodland, which will take you to the start of the Planfaé canyoning route; it’s not difficult, even though the start is steep and in full sun.

Walking Ruins of Rocca Sparviera via Engarvin

Visorando Member
Ruines de Rocca Sparviera par l'Engarvin
↔4.15 mi ↗+1,424 ft ↘-1,381 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Duranus (Alpes-Maritimes)
Ascent to the "cursed" ruins of Rocca Sparviera. Shorter alternative to the ascent via Coaraze. An easy walk but very steep at the end. Not recommended with very young children.

Walking The ridge of the Pointe de Faule

Visorando Member
La crête de la Pointe de Faule
↔7.56 mi ↗+2,844 ft ↘-2,851 ft ◔5h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
The stunning, seemingly endless ridge of the Pointe de Faule with its myriad views, the Peïra Cava forest renowned for its tall, mixed-species trees, anda walk through the abandoned 17th-century village of Béasse, uninhabited since 1930, are all part of this challenging hike.A few short technical and exposed sections; the Visorando app may prove useful

Walking Mont l'Ablé via the Roccanièra valley from Lucéram

Visorando Member
Le Mont l'Ablé par le vallon de Roccanièra depuis Lucéram
↔4.82 mi ↗+2,146 ft ↘-2,156 ft ◔4h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
During the ascent, enjoy beautiful views overlooking the village of Lucéram. The Roccanièra valley trail is not very busy. A succession of different vegetation types will accompany you throughout this humid valley with its steep edges.

Walking Around Lucéram: Col de l'Orme, Col de l'Ablé, Grand Braus and Mont Auri

Visorando Member
Autour de Lucéram : Col de l'Orme, Col de l'Ablé, Grand Braus et Mont Auri
↔6.79 mi ↗+2,575 ft ↘-2,559 ft ◔5h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Lucéram (Alpes-Maritimes)
This is a hike to enjoy during the Christmas period, starting from Lucéram, a magical medieval village famous for its 500 nativity scenes. The route crosses the Turini road several times, then passes through the Col de l'Orme before reaching the summit of Mont l'Ablé, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the coastline and, with a little luck, Corsica, the Grassoises Pre-Alps and part of the Mercantour massif. From the summit of Mont Auri, the aerial view of the village of Lucéram is exceptional. The return journey takes you through the Ibac forest and behind the village.

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.