Vinadio walks

Superb hike starting from the Santa Anna di Vinadio Sanctuary in Italy. This 4-hour Lakes circuit can be done clockwise or anti-clockwise. Be sure to read the warnings about snow and equipment to bring with you in the practical information section.

A superb hike on the Italian side of the Col de la Lombarde, revealing magnificent high-mountain landscapes and stunning emerald-green lakes. Abundant wildlife (ibex, chamois, marmots) and flora.Please note that the ascent to the Col d’Aver includes exposed and vertiginous sections. This is why I have classified it as difficult, even though there is no real danger.This hike is therefore not recommended for children or those prone to vertigo.

Circular hike from the beautiful village of Sambuco in the Valle Stura, Provence of Cuneo. The high point is Monte Bersaio directly above the village. The majority of the walk is through high alpine meadows. If done in late June or early July there will be a profusion of wildflowers and the final meadows, just below the summit of Monte Bersaio, are full of Edelweiss.

A superb circular hike, allowing you to discover no fewer than five lakes through magnificent landscapes at the foot of Mount Malinvern. It is located entirely in Italian territory, close to Isola 2000, starting from the Col de la Lombarde road on the Vinadio side.In addition to the lakes, the hike offers superb views of the peaks overlooking the Rio Freddo valley at the foot of Malinvern, which is omnipresent during the first part of the circuit.

This magnificent French-Italian hike allows you to discover the middle and upper reaches of the Mercantour: pastures, ungulates, lakes and panoramic views. This hike has a significant elevation gain and includes an exposed section between the Pas du Bœuf and the Col de la Guercha: not recommended for anyone who is afraid of heights or unsure-footed in the mountains.

A short, easy walk between France and Italy. You'll find yourself trying to guess which country you're in as you walk along the ridge. I've never crossed the border so many times in such a short space of time... And you can admire the view of the two valleys below.

The final day is less demanding than the previous one, consisting entirely of a descent. It’s a chance to walk the ‘Chemin de l’Énergie’ one last time before a long descent to Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée.

An easy snowshoe hike on a south-facing slope, offering access to the Col de la Lombarde and, consequently, a beautiful view over a wide Italian valley.

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

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 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 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 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.

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

This route takes you on a circular hike up Mont Ténibre on the Italian side, starting from the Alfredo Talarico Refuge. The route passes by the Ervedo Zanotti Refuge and Lake Mongioie. The final 500 metres, between the Pas de Ténibre and the summit, are within the Mercantour National Park.

From the Tinée Valley, a challenging round trip to the Italian border and a magnificent viewpoint on the northern slope of Mont Mounier.

Second part of the circular route to explore the magnificent Lacs de Vens. Starting from the Vens Lakes and Vens Refuge, the route leads to the hamlet of Le Pra via the small pass of Tortisse, the Col du Fer, the Pas de Morgon and the Morgon Lakes.

Thisthird and final stage of the Tour du Mont Aiga starts from the Refuge de Vens and crosses a balcony below the slopes of the Aiguilles de Tortisse to the north-east of the Lacs de Vens. After passing the Crête de la Côte and descending to the Maisons Forestières de Tortisse, you will walk along a balcony path beneath the slopes of the Tête des Mourres to reach the Morgon plateau and climb back up to Laussets and finally to the Lacs de Morgon. At the large Morgon lake, you will descend eastwards into Salso Moréno to rejoin the path of thefirst stage and Camp des Fourches. It is possible to see chamois early in the morning and, of course, marmots throughout the day.

Before descending back to Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée, you climb to the Cime du Fer (2,700 m), which offers a superb 360° view, notably of the Tête de Moïse (3,104 m) and the magnificent Mont Viso (3,841 m). Then we descend alongside the Tortisse torrent before heading back towards the Lacs de Vens and climbing up to the Lac des Babarottes. We continue along a section of the Chemin de l’Énergie until we catch sight of Mont Ténibre. We then finish with a long descent (-1,200 m) down to the village.

This route, with no significant elevation gain, takes you around Mont Auron, with its easily accessible summit, and back and forth to Cîme de la Bercha, starting from Auron.

A mix of (somewhat) wild and tamed mountain terrain. This route, which takes in both ski runs and off-piste areas, allows you to appreciate the full extent of the Auron ski area.

A long but beautiful stage combining the austere landscape of Mont Mounier with the green mountain pastures of Longon.Look up to watch the vultures.A gentle finish at the Vacherie de Longon, surrounded by animals.

On thissecond day of the Tour of Mount Aiga from the Ferrere Refuge, you will pass through Plan de Belvédère, where there is a tin shelter overlooking the Rio Forneris valley and a fountain. You will also pass below Lake Emma, Monte Peiron at 2,796 m and Pointe Testa di Garbe at 2,749 m, to arrive, after a few hairpin bends, at Col de Fer at 2,584 m. You will then head towards Small Pass of Tortisse and the Vens Refuge, the end of this stage.

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 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 short walk in the Tinée, starting from the magnificent hamlet of Roya, combining forest crossings, exposed ridges and breathtaking views. A relatively easy hike, though it will still require a bit of navigation on the climb up to the Col de Chavalet.

This eighteenth stage continues the traverse of the Mercantour Massif. From Roya, the GR®5 crosses the Vallon de Roya torrent, follows the Vallon de la Maïris upstream and then the Vallon de Sallevieille, before winding its way up to the Plan des Laces and then the Col de Crousette. From the pass, the path winds its way up the left-hand slope of the Vallon de la Culasse towards the Stèle Vallette, follows the ridge on the Vallon du Démant side, crosses the Baisse du Démant and descends to the Col du Refuge and then to the Col des Moulinés. It drops down to the bottom of the Vallon du Démant, crosses its torrent and, on the slope of the opposite side, meets the Vallon de la Gourgette. Above the hamlet of Vignols, it climbs beneath the ruin-like rocks of Les Chambrettes, where a colony of bearded vultures nests, and passes the small pass of Portes de Longon, then winds its way along a stream to reach the Refuge du Longon or Vacherie de Roure.

This walk is accessible to most people thanks to the very even gradient along the route. The trail is entirely located within the Mercantour National Park and takes us through the little-visited mountain pastures around the hamlet of Roya.

An iconic peak in the Mercantour National Park, the Mounier is accessible from several starting points. From the hamlet of Roya, the hike is quite long with a significant elevation gain, but the panoramic views are well worth the effort, particularly the crossing of the Salevieille valley where you’re likely to come across goats and sheep.

A challenging hike, rarely visited on the Mont Mounier side, with a gradual ascent and magnificent scenery. You are in the Mercantour National Park; there are regulations to be observed, and failure to do so may result in a fine of up to €1,500 – see the practical information section.

This hike forms thesecond stage of the ascent of Mont Mounier. Starting from the Montagne de l’Estrop, you’ll climb to the Col de Crousette for a beautiful view over the valley of the same name and the Haute-Tinée. You’ll then reach the Mont Mounier ridge, which you’ll follow to the summit. The descent takes you through the hamlet of La Colle before climbing back up towards the Tête de Charnaye, then down again towards the altisurface, and finally the final descent to the Pont d’Aygue Blanche.

This short loop takes you past Lac des Adus, then continues a little further towards Pointe des Adus and returns via theGR®52. Mainly in the forest, it is very pleasant in hot weather, especially as you can swim in the lake.

This short walk, mainly through the forest, will take you to a pretty little mountain lake (2,130 m). It's a good warm-up or an easy goal that can be done with children who are good walkers (be warned, it's still in the mountains, so... it's uphill).

This small natural lake is little known to hikers. Surrounded by greenery, it is very pleasant and peaceful.

A very beautiful round trip hike in Haute-Vésubie from the Salèse car park. There are numerous lakes, including the large Lac Nègre, and beautiful panoramic views at the Col de Frémamorte and the peak of the same name.

One of the main sites in the Mercantour, Lac Nègre offers the reward of a sudden view of a rocky high mountain landscape that contrasts with the peaceful forest climb that precedes it. The Pas du Préfouns is the viewpoint of the Préfouns valley with the Aiguilles de Questa on the Italian side and the Lac Nègre cirque on the French side.

This is a beautiful French-Italian circuit, partly off-trail (Visorando app or GPS recommended), which allows you to discover different landscapes: the Boréon forest, high-altitude lakes, mineral landscapes and magnificent views of the surrounding peaks.

A lovely hike offering the chance to climb two peaks in the Salèse area of the Boréon, following a wild and little-used route. From the summit of the Cime de Pagari de Salèse, the view over the Argentera massif is breathtaking. The return journey takes you partly off the beaten track to explore the French Fremamorte lakes. A detour via Lac de Graveirette rounds off the route before heading back via the classic Salèse valley.

Off the beaten track, these two small lakes in the Mercantour are both beautiful and uncrowded. Here I suggest a circular route that will allow you to avoid descending directly to the Col de Salèse and enjoy a view of Lac Nègre that you don't get when arriving via the traditional route. A few changes to this route, see reviews.

A challenging hike with an off-trail finish on Caire Archas, offering panoramic views of Mont Pépoiri, Cime de Frémamorte, Cime Guilié, Mont Pélago and other peaks on the border with Italy.

From the Vallon de Salèse car park, there are numerous hiking routes. This one takes you up the valley to the Col de Salèse and then on to two magnificent lakes: Lac Nègre and Lac de Graveirette.