 |
| Click for big map |
This is a perfect hike to do when the snow still blocks the higher mountain passes for walkers, and the mountain cabins are closed. All the way the trails run well below the treeline. All the way you stay in charming, old villages. All the way you walk on well-marked trails. Apart from one exposed short section, as GR 52A descends to Breil-sur-Roya (alternative route possible), this is a fairly straight forward walk. Only occasionally you'll meet other walkers.
The highest point of our hike: 1200 m
Walking distance per day: 10-16 km.
Walking time per day: 5-6 hours, or less.
To open the French Map Service click here.
 |
| Berghe Supérieur |
The hike described below took place in mid May 2018, after an extremely long and snowy winter. The weather conditions were still on the cool and wet side (fresh snow down to 2000 m one morning). Despite this, all trails were dry and good for hiking, with plants in full bloom. A very pleasant hike for sure!
We booked
our unguided tour from www.france-ecotours.com, who describes the tour like this:
“This hike leads you through the most beautiful villages of the French Riviera and the hinterland of Nice. You walk alone on an almost forgotten path, that used to be the most important route for the salt business. From the mountains you climb down to the sea, crossing valleys and pass, perched villages, pine forests and olive groves”.
The airliner Norwegian brings us from Oslo to Nice airport in 3 hours (09:10-12:05), then bus 98 to Nice city centre. Excellent lunch at Peixes, 4 rue de l’Opera, a stroll in the old town, relaxing at the beach. At 17:13 we take the train www.sncf.com from Gare de Nice Ville to Breil-sur-Roya. Due to work on the railroad we have to continue from here with bus to Saint-Dalmas de Tende, and Hôtel Le Prieuré. Clean, nice, simple style. Dinner around 19:30. Only a few other walkers are here, and for one reason or the other, they are all Scanidnavian: Helene, Reidar, Grete and Fredrik from Norway. Karin and Roland from Sweden.
17 May 2018Castillon Village – Sainte-Agnès
↑650 ↓600, 13 km, 6 hours
Bus: Sospel - Castillon Village
Today we have to catch bus 15 to Castillon Village, leaving Sospel at 10:00. After breakfast we walk charming and "tourist empty" Sospel. Once this was a prosperous village, situated on the important salt route the transporters had to pay toll here. We buy some goodies for lunch, and find the bus stop. The bus ride to Castillon Village takes 10 minutes. We follow the three first bends up through the village, then continue on the yellow marked and good trail (not indicated on the French topo maps) to Col the Castillon. The trail from here towards Mount Ours (Bear Mountain/Bjørnfjell) is very well made, nearly like a road. I’m not the biggest fan of walking in the woods, but this one I find very pleasant. We skip the short detour to Mont Ours (1216), to save my sore foot. The trail further on – and down – is obviously part of the fortifications on Mont Ours and Pic de Garuche. At the trail bend at alt. 1100 m, with a big view towards the Mediterranean, we decide to stop for lunch. Unfortunately the rain coming in makes us change plans. Umbrellas instead of baguette and rosé. The descend towards Col de Verroux and Col des Banquettes is hard on my feet: The only parts left of the military road are the gutters/kerbstones, the old road surface is washed away during the years. What remains is rough and loose gravel. I’m happy for the straps I brought for tying the umbrella to my backpack, so that I may still use both my walking poles. The last levelled 1 km of today’s walk follows asphalt or dirt road, aiming for Sainte-Agnès which “waving to us” up on it’s hill. The sun is suddenly back. Sainte-Agnès is another real pearl, with old houses, narrow alleys, big views, and our Hôtel Le Saint Yves. The rooms may not be the very best, it smells ‘start of the season’, but the crew is friendly and helpful. Dinner at 19:30. Since it is our National Day today, we go for a bottle of champagne. Hipp, hipp hurra for 17. mai :-)
18 May 2018
Sainte-Agnès – Castellar – Menton
↑200 ↓850, 15 km, 4 hours
Sunny and good as we leave pretty Sainte-Agnès, aiming for Menton at the sea. Today’s hike follows GR 51 on good and well-marked trails down to the villages Monti and Castillar, through fascinating and wild terrain. At this time of the year, after several days with some rain, it is green, lush, blooming. Castellar is very quiet when we arrive, no café open. We find the tiny grocery in Rue de la Republique, and have our lunch in the park. From Castellar we walk only 500m on asphalt, then continues on pleasant trails down towards highway A8, following yellow marks. Now we are approaching the busy and popular Côte d'Azur and the city of Menton. The very last 2-3 km are on asphalt, on the road on top of la Colle, with fancy summerhouses and ocean view.
Our six days walk is soon to an end. We walk slowly down through the colourful and beautiful old town of Menton. Then we stop at the beach. Grateful and happy for all our experiences on this very pleasant hike from Tende to Méditerranée.
13 May 2018
Saint-Dalmas de Tende – La Brigue – Tende
↑600 ↓500, 10km, 3 hours
Aftre a short climb up from Saint-Dalmas de tende we walk along a good and flat trail through the forest from Saint-Dalmas de Tende to charming, old La Brigue, and a Coke. From here in ‘treeless’ terrain to Col de Loubaïra. We miss the trail north of the pass, and end up walking down the asphalt road… When reaching the main road we follow the smaller road on the west side of the river La Roya all the way to the village.
The old part of Tende is “glued” onto the hillside. A bit shabby, very dead, but charming & fascinating. In the newer part of the village we have an excellent lunch at Le Gourmand - “chez Eliane”. Recommended! Outside it’s raining heavily now. We find our umbrellas, take a walk up above the old town. Back again on the main street we catch bus 905 back to or hotel in Saint-Dalmas de Tende. (Option: Hike along “Chemin des Bois” from Tende to St-Dalmas).
 |
| Tende |
14 May 2018
Saint-Dalmas de Tende – Fontan
↑500 ↓700, 14 km, 5 hours
Bus: Fontan – Saorge
The day starts by walking 1 km along the main road south of the village. From here we hike mostly along pleasant trails to the tiny hamlet Granile. The small bar is closed when we arrive, but the superfriendly keeper living next door opens up the business, making us café au lait - and sandwiches for our lunch stop. From Granile the trail takes us to the largest village on this hill, beautiful Berghe Supérieur. From the village we follow the tarmac for 850m, the continues on a good and nice forest trail to tiny Berghe Inférieur. Time for our lunch next to the trail, under our umbrellas. From the village we follow the road for about 1 km, before dropping 300 vertical meters down the rather steep trail to hairpin road D42. On asphalt 3 km to Fontain, the last 700m along mainroad D6204. It has been raining for the last hour now, and my sore achilles does not want more pepper. I’m happy that we arrive Fontan just in time to catch bus 905 and not walk the last 2 km of asphalt road walk up to Saorge. (Walking option: Walk 1.2 km southwards along D6204, before following the old zigzag path/dirt road that ends south of the tunnel on road D38 to Saorge). Saorge village, clinging to the hillside, is a real adventure. Exciting to explore. We stay at the very pleasant Ca'Da Barrera (http://chambresdhotes-saorge.fr), run by friendly Lucas. In addition to being a clever cook he knows how to handle the accordion as well.
 |
| Saorge |
15 May 2018
Saorge – Breil-sur-Roya
↑500 ↓700, 10 km, 5 hours
After breakfast we buy baguette, cheese, ham and wine at the grocery shop. Today’s walk starts next to our hostel Ca'Da Barrera. The yellow marked and excellent trail takes us down to the main road D6204. Since the footbridge across the river Bendola is missing we have to walk the 650 m long road tunnel. Not very pleasant, however it is both sidewalks and light inside the mountain. Immediately south of the tunnel we walk down the road towards the river, cross under the main road, and are ready for the first climb of this leg. The track starts with a dirt/crushed stone road, the joins GR 52A on a rather rough (we are a bit spoiled by now) but good trail up through the forest, with some good viewpoints. We have our lunch stop on the nice rock crop north of Vallon de Zouayné, looking down towards Breil-sur-Roya. GR 52A is rather overgrown as we get close to Breil-sur-Roya, with some very exposed/steep sections. (Alternative if scared of high drops: Follow yellow marked trail through the forest down to La Pinède, towards the railway station). Breil-sur-Roya is a compact, classic mountain town of the 17th/18th century. At this time of the year it is dead quiet, but contains what we need: Atmosphere, hotel, bar and grocery. We stay at Hôtel Le Roya. Despite the helpful and friendly keeper, it will not be amongst my favourites. Dinner at 19:30 at Restaurant La Bonne Auberge, while a heavy hailstorm – with peanut size nuggets – sweeps over the village.
 |
| View towards Breil-sur-Roya |
16 May 2018
Breil-sur-Roya – Piène Haute – Sospel
↑650 ↓600, 15 km, 6 hours
Before leaving Breil-sur-Roya we buy classic French lunch stuff at the supermarket next door. For the first 1 km the nice trail follows GR 510, then continuing along yellow marked trail towards the village Piène Haute. A very beautiful and pleasant hike, through old olive groves and with nice views most of the way. On very good trails. The village Piène Haute is a real pearl. Colourful houses along the “main road”, the Baroque church on the cliff edge. My only wish is that somebody had run a café here. From Piène Haute we follow the tarmac for one flat kilometre, then continue on GR 510 though olive groves on gravel road, 2 km/250 vertical metres down towards the Italian border and tarmac road D93 between Sospel and Olivetta. After a short stretch on asphalt, we follow the very nice “salt road” along the river La Bévéra: First high above the impressing/scary gorge, the along the flat river bank. After crossing below the railroad brigde Le pont de Caï, the 3 km walk to Sospel is 50/50 on asphalt/trail. The rain sets in. We love our umbrellas, again. And our two new Swedish friends walking the road: Ulrica and Leif. In Sospel we stay at wonderful Auberge Provencale, sitting on the hillside south of the village. A very good place to be. We put up a long table for our "group", the hiking 4 Swedes and 6 Norwegians.
 |
| Piène Haute |
↑650 ↓600, 13 km, 6 hours
Bus: Sospel - Castillon Village
Today we have to catch bus 15 to Castillon Village, leaving Sospel at 10:00. After breakfast we walk charming and "tourist empty" Sospel. Once this was a prosperous village, situated on the important salt route the transporters had to pay toll here. We buy some goodies for lunch, and find the bus stop. The bus ride to Castillon Village takes 10 minutes. We follow the three first bends up through the village, then continue on the yellow marked and good trail (not indicated on the French topo maps) to Col the Castillon. The trail from here towards Mount Ours (Bear Mountain/Bjørnfjell) is very well made, nearly like a road. I’m not the biggest fan of walking in the woods, but this one I find very pleasant. We skip the short detour to Mont Ours (1216), to save my sore foot. The trail further on – and down – is obviously part of the fortifications on Mont Ours and Pic de Garuche. At the trail bend at alt. 1100 m, with a big view towards the Mediterranean, we decide to stop for lunch. Unfortunately the rain coming in makes us change plans. Umbrellas instead of baguette and rosé. The descend towards Col de Verroux and Col des Banquettes is hard on my feet: The only parts left of the military road are the gutters/kerbstones, the old road surface is washed away during the years. What remains is rough and loose gravel. I’m happy for the straps I brought for tying the umbrella to my backpack, so that I may still use both my walking poles. The last levelled 1 km of today’s walk follows asphalt or dirt road, aiming for Sainte-Agnès which “waving to us” up on it’s hill. The sun is suddenly back. Sainte-Agnès is another real pearl, with old houses, narrow alleys, big views, and our Hôtel Le Saint Yves. The rooms may not be the very best, it smells ‘start of the season’, but the crew is friendly and helpful. Dinner at 19:30. Since it is our National Day today, we go for a bottle of champagne. Hipp, hipp hurra for 17. mai :-)
 |
| Trail towards Mont Ours - Bjørnfjellet :-) |
18 May 2018
Sainte-Agnès – Castellar – Menton
↑200 ↓850, 15 km, 4 hours
Sunny and good as we leave pretty Sainte-Agnès, aiming for Menton at the sea. Today’s hike follows GR 51 on good and well-marked trails down to the villages Monti and Castillar, through fascinating and wild terrain. At this time of the year, after several days with some rain, it is green, lush, blooming. Castellar is very quiet when we arrive, no café open. We find the tiny grocery in Rue de la Republique, and have our lunch in the park. From Castellar we walk only 500m on asphalt, then continues on pleasant trails down towards highway A8, following yellow marks. Now we are approaching the busy and popular Côte d'Azur and the city of Menton. The very last 2-3 km are on asphalt, on the road on top of la Colle, with fancy summerhouses and ocean view.
Our six days walk is soon to an end. We walk slowly down through the colourful and beautiful old town of Menton. Then we stop at the beach. Grateful and happy for all our experiences on this very pleasant hike from Tende to Méditerranée.
 |
| Sainte-Agnès – Monti |
 |
| Menton |
 |
| Méditerranée & man |
