Walking, trekking guide to Maritime Alps – Italy, France, Europe

Home > Activities > Winter climbing

Cover of Walks and Treks in the Maritime Alps
More images

Download (PDF)

Information Sheet
Availability
Published
Cover
Paperback - PVC
Published
11 Feb 2010
Edition
First
ISBN
9781852845643
Expand
ISBN (10)
1852845643
Size
17.2 x 11.6 x 1.7cm
Weight
300g
Pages
224
Originally Published
11 Feb 2010

Walks and Treks in the Maritime Alps

by Gillian Price

The first English-language walking and trekking guide to the Maritime Alps, on the border of Italy and France. 18 walks and 6 treks including a 5-day traverse of the Parc National du Mercantour and a 7-day traverse of the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Marittime, written by Alpine expert Gillian Price. Great for novice walkers and seasoned trekkers. More...

Buy from Cicerone

Printed Book
£14.00
Adobe Digital eBook  (more)
£14.00
Printed Book + eBook  SAVE £7.00
£21.00

Other eBook formats  (more information)

Kindle
Amazon Kindle Store
 

Seasons

Mid-June to late September is guaranteed for snow-free paths and open huts; July and August spell Read More... wildflowers galore; October means crystal-clear visibility and the whole place to yourself.

Centres

France: Tende, Castérino, St-Martin-Vésubie, Le Boréon
Italy: Terme di Valdieri, Entracque, Read More... Vernante

Difficulty

Something for everyone - from easy strolls along mountain streams on broad tracks, through to Read More... multi-day treks across arduous passes with elementary rock passages.

Must See

Easy-to-see wildlife - magnficent ibex, chamois and marmots – and endemic wildflowers; Read More... high-altitude lakes (Fremamorta, Lac Nègre); Argentera, Gelas and Clapier all over 3000m; prehistoric rock engravings are visitable from Castérino; old-style spa resort Terme di Valdieri with paved tracks dating back to the 19th century royal game reserve; Col de Tende and Col de Fenestre.
 
 

View Sample Route Map

Walk 1

Fontanalba Rock Engravings Circuit

Walking Time           4hr 30min or 1 day
Difficulty                  Grade 1–2
Distance                  17km/10.5 miles
Ascent/Descent      700m/700m
Start/Finish             Castérino
Access                     From St Dalmas-de-Tende in Vallée de la Roya, the D91 climbs NE into the Vallon
                                 de Castérino. A midsummer bus from Tende via St Dalmas-de-Tende runs up to
                                 the settlement of Castérino.
A beautiful circuit in the southeastern Maritime Alps, leading through forest and across thickly flowered slopes to elevated glacial cirques, where there is magnificent Alpine scenery and a clutch of very pretty lakes to be enjoyed. However, Vallon de Fontanalba is synonymous with the remarkable mountainside rock engravings carved by prehistoric man 5000 years ago; they have made this part of the Mercantour famous. The walk destination is the pièce de résistance, the so-called 'Voie Sacrée' ­– a 50m long, inclined slab of schist, polished to a sheen by the passage of long-gone ice masses. Highlighted by the thin orange-red veneer, a total of 284 petroglyph figures have been discovered on this open-air drawing board. Guided walks are organised during summer. (See Rock Engravings in the Introduction for more on this.)

Quiet Castérino, where the walk starts, offers a number of hotels and restaurants and a gîte, as well as an informative park visitor centre. Refuge de Fontanalba, encountered during the walk, is an alternative place to stay.

The walk can be shortened marginally by driving as far as the 1719m turn-off, and returning there afterwards instead of descending to Castérino. This will save about 1hr.
 

Walk

From Castérino (1543m) walk NNW up the narrow road for 3km to the car park and turn-off at 1719m (P395, 45min). Fork L through the shady larch wood on a bumpy old military track. It climbs steadily SSE high over Vallon de Fontanalba, emerging in flowery meadows. Ignore the fork R at 1969m, unless you have time for the short detour to Lacs des Grenouilles (though don't expect to see any frogs). On this stretch rewards come in the form of views onto a cirque of light-grey rock spattered with snow, and closed off by a forbidding rock barrier that includes Mont Bégo SW. A stream is crossed to a hut and junction (P390) for the fork R to Refuge de Fontanalba (2018m, 1hr 15min), a simple but welcoming establishment.
 
Stay on the rough jeep track for the climb SW past aged larch trees and waterfalls to a bridge and turn-off (2130m, 20min) for the important rock engravings site. Keep R (N) up the track, which doubles as a good lookout over the Castérino valley. Ignore turn-offs L. After two huts are signs for 'La Voie Sacrée'. A path leads to the base of the polished rock slabs covered with stick figures and geometric shapes. Helpful charts indicate key groupings.
 
At the top of the steps is a belvedere with an instructive table d'orientation naming all the mountains visible, including far-off Marguareis, NE in the Ligurian Alps. Drop to a hut then fork R to skirt the pretty Lacs Jumeaux ('twin lakes', 2222m). The path descends S past marmot burrows into an attractive peat basin, bright yellow with marsh marigolds, where there are tinkling streams and gnarled larch trees stand as sentinels. With a little patience shy chamois may be spotted on the surrounding mountainsides.
 
An outcrop is rounded and beautiful Lac Vert, trimmed with conifers (2188m), soon reached. The lake’s water reflects elegant Cime de Chanvrairée. Through banks of alpenrose the path returns to the bridge (1hr) and main track. Retrace your steps via Refuge de Fontanalba (2018m, 20min) to the P390 junction and turn R (SE). This 4WD track follows the southern edge of Vallon de Fontanalba through beautiful conifer forest thick with wildflowers. Surprisingly steep hairpin bends lead down to the road at Castérino (1543m, 50min), close to the maison du park information point.
 
Refuge de Fontanalba Tel (33) 049 3048919, sleeps 25, solar-heated shower, open 14 June to 15 September. Owned by Nice Ski Club, it does not offer reciprocal reductions for Alpine Club members.
 
Castérino
Auberge Sainte Marie-Madeleine Tel (33) 049 3046593 www.casterino.com, including gîte.
Hotel Chamois D'Or Tel (33) 049 3046666 www.hotelchamoisdor.net
Hotel Les Mélèzes Tel (33) 049 3049595 www.lesmelezes.fr

 

 
 
 
Site by OUTSRC