walking & adventure holidays

Explore the Vallée des Merveilles - discover why Bronze Age man was drawn here.

Aside from the stunning Alpine scenery in the Mercantour, the major draw for the majority of visitors is the Merveilles Valley which conceals in excess of 35,000 Bronze Age rock carvings in magnificent surroundings.

The area, including the adjacent Fontanalbe valley, has invoked great mystery for centuries and its carvings were first studied rigorously by an Englishman, Clarence Bicknell in the early 1900s.

Today, a guided visit to the carvings brings the culture of early man to life, as he elected to site his place of worship in these magnificent surroundings, and in the shadow of the imposing Mount Bego.

The area is rich with chamois, ibex, marmots and eagles, plus a wide variety of flora (more than 2000 species are present) so there is rarely a dull moment.

Get back to nature with a stay in a teepee in the valley.

Testimonials

We have very fond memories. Thanks.

Ted Wrublesky July 2006

Season

June to end September

Departures to date

2010 : Jul 10, 19; Sep 11; Oct 16

Pricing

Standard weekly package :

Gite based - £600

Hotel or Chambre d'Hote B&B - £690

Hotel or Chambre d'Hote half board - £855

For non-standard periods and programmes, contact us to discuss the options. Read about our flexible way of working.

How to book...

Walking Grades

grade

Your Accommodation - On all our Mercantour based trips you will either stay in our gîte at La Zourcière, or if you choose our B&B or half board options we are very pleased to work with local hotels or chambres d'hôte in the area.

Gîte

Enjoy the beautifully secluded situation of La Zourcière in the small hamlet of Berthemont les Bains in the Vésubie valley. The gîte sits on the ground floor of the house and is fully self contained. There are shops about 10 minutes drive from the hamlet, and an organic farm just 200m down the road from the house. Follow this link for more details.

Hotel or Chambre d'Hôte

Le Grand Chalet is a homely chambre d'hôte run by Christine and Luc and is situated overlooking the small village of St Dalmas Valdeblore. A good week of outdoor activity is well fuelled by Christine's great cooking, crafted from home made (mainly organic and local) ingredients. Vegetarians are welcomed.
Hotel Saint Sébastien is situated in just outside the small town of Roquebilliere. Again, family run, with large airy rooms, and has a restaurant and outdoor pool.
Le Chalet or La Bonne Auberge are situated in the town of St Martin Vésubie, a thriving small community that has been the centre of life in the valley since the 12th century. There are plenty of local shops and restaurants to choose from, and the Bonne Auberge has its own restaurant.

Other accommodation options can be found here

What's included

8 day trip, 7 nights accommodation. including 1 night in a mountain refuge, 1 night in a teepee. All meals provided for the first 4 days for gîte and hotel guests. Five days guided walking with qualified leaders, including Merveilles guide.  Transfers for all guests.

Gîte Based : self catering, no meals or drinks included.
Hotel/Chambre d'Hôte B&B : Breakfasts only - evening meals can be taken at local restaurants, and packed lunches can be purchased at local food stores.
Hotel/Chambre d'Hôte Half Board : All meals, inclusive of packed lunches. Drinks at own cost.
Transport : To and from all venues. To and from Nice airport, aside from gite guests who decide to hire a car during their stay in Berthemont. We offer supermarket visits for self catering guests who do not wish to hire a car.

Itinerary

• Day 1 Arrive Nice airport, visit the Merveilles museum in Tende and transfer to Auberge des Mélèzes, Casterino. Meet your guide Christian Lorenzetti.
• Day 2 Walk up to the Fontanalbe valley, view the gravures, and stay at the private Refuge de Fontanalbe.
• Day 3 Walk over into the Merveilles valley, with stunning views along the way, and view the gravures on this side of Mont Bego. Stay in teepees in the valley.
• Day 4 Walk over into the Gordolasque valley via the Pas de l’Arpette. Pick up mid afternoon and transfer to your accommodation in the Vésubie valley.
• Day 5 Free day to relax. Excursion to Nice can be arranged, or if you’re still feeling energetic, we can advise on short walks.
• Day 6 Join Mel and Liz for two stunning day walks in other areas of the park. The Old Salt Route – Col de Fenestre, and Pas de Ladres circuit.
• Day 7 Lacs des Millefonts, Col du Barn and the Téte des Margés ridge.
• Day 8 Leave trip in Berthemont or transfer back to Nice for hotel guests.

Suitable for

Your welfare & protection

As a small enterprise, it's very important to us that our guests are professionally looked after during their stay with us.
Your protection : our operational base is in France, and our company in France is registered as a tour operator (habilitation touristique) and holds business failure cover and public liability cover.
Your welfare : all our activities are led by fully qualified local Mountain Guides and International Mountain Leaders (Accompagnateurs), thus ensuring that you receive not only top professional care, but that you will also benefit from their in-depth local knowledge of the regions that we operate in.