Sanctuaire de la Madone d'utelle walks

This twenty-first stage, once you have crossed the Vésubie, takes place in the Nice Pre-Alps and brings the GTA (Grande Traversée des Alpes) to a close by the sea. From the Place de la Fontaine in Utelle, the GR®5 heads west, then south, crossing a few small valleys to reach the hamlet of Cros d’Utelle. It crosses the Vésubie valley, climbs the opposite slope after the town of Levens, ascends through woodland to Colla Partida, passes beneath Mont Cima and descends to the beautiful circular fortified village of Aspremont. The path climbs the western flank of Mont Chauve d’Aspremont without reaching the summit. It descends the Crête de Graus until it reaches Château Renard and then La Bauma. The path enters a valley, which it follows eastwards, then due south towards La Fontaine Sainte, and crosses the bridge over the Autoroute de la Provençale. It enters the city of Nice, which it crosses from north to south to reach Nice Ville railway station.

The sixth stage ofthe GR®52, where the landscapes change dramatically. Due to its length and significant descent of nearly 2,000 metres, the stage is very difficult. The descent to Sospel, which makes up two-thirds of the route, puts a real strain on the knees and ankles. Please note, it gets very hot in summer on this section.

This twentieth stage marks the end of the crossing of the Mercantour Massif. From Saint-Dalmas, the GR®5 heads south to climb the steep slope towards the Cime de Colmiane, which it bypasses by heading for the Col du Varaire. It crosses the Bois Noir and reaches the Col des Deux Caïres, then the Caïre Gros. The route follows its ridge and, hugging the hillside, passes beneath Mont Chalancha, La Partissuola and the Cime de la Combe before descending to the small pass of Trous. Before the Col du Fort, the path descends to the Granges de la Brasque, crosses the upper part of the Riou du Figaret valley and arrives at the Col d’Andrion. Cutting across the hairpin bends of the M33, the GR®5 reaches the Col des Fournès and the Col de Gratteloup. Through rocky gaps, it runs alongside the Petit Brec d’Utelle and then the Brec d’Utelle. From there, the path descends towards the Crête de l’Albaréa and reaches the Col du Castel Ginesté. It crosses the slope below the ridges of the Têtes du Sac de Bécasse, Parabosquet and Les Pennes to reach the Utelle community lodge.

Second stage of the route and first stage on theGR®52. A long 21km stage taking in the Col de Veillos, numerous lakes, the Col du Barn, the Vacherie du Collet and the Col de Salèse, ending at a place called Le Boréon. A spectacular stage thanks to its landscapes and views, but very difficult.

TheGR® 52 is a route that crosses the Mercantour National Park, through the Alpes-Maritimes from Saint-Dalmas-de-Valdeblore to Menton. ThisGR® route is very challenging due to the varied terrain and significant elevation changes. You’ll reach altitudes of up to 2,700m, where you can admire the high-mountain landscapes, flora and fauna. Then, in the second half of the route, you’ll encounter panoramas that are more southern in character but just as extraordinary.

The GR®52 starts in Saint-Dalmas de Valdeblore. This first stage is a transition to reach the starting point of the GR®.This is a lovely hike that passes through the small resort of La Colmiane and offers a relatively easy climb, following the GR®52 A through the woods for just over 6km.

This is the last stage ofthe GR® 52. It is certainly not the highest in altitude, but it is difficult due to its distance and the passage of certain passes with steep ascents and descents. The Mediterranean views are splendid, especially those from the Col du Razet and Col du Berceau, which rises to 1,100 metres above the town of Menton, the end point of theGR®. You walk along the Italian border throughout the route. Be warned, in summer this stage is very challenging due to the heat, especially the descent from the Col du Berceau.

This route leaves theGR® 52 to head for Grammondo and cross over to the Italian side. On the descent, there are almost constant views of the sea, ending in the very pretty town of Grimaldi.

An easy hike in spring or autumn. At the top of the Baou, there is a magnificent view of the French Riviera with a very accurate orientation table to identify the points along the coast and the surrounding peaks.

A magnificent walk offering numerous views of the sea, the Var valley, and the coast with its various towns, headlands and islands (with a bit of luck, you might spot Corsica, Sainte-Victoire and the Mercantour peaks). However, this walk is challenging due to its length and elevation gain, and is therefore only suitable for fit walkers. Moderator update on 6 April 2021: Please note! There is a private property issue between (11) and (12). See the suggestion in the description and in the reviews dated 24 April 2021.