Alpes-Maritimes: from the Mediterranean to the Mercantour

The Alpes-Maritimes stretch from the Mediterranean beaches to the peaks of the Mercantour. When planning your trip, it is worth exploring the different themes: archaeological rock art, specific hiking routes, cross-country skiing in winter, coastal activities and regional products. This way, you can plan your hotel stay around the experiences that are the focus of your trip.

Rock art at Mont Bégo

The archaeological zone of the rock engravings at Mont Bégo is located within the municipality of Tende and can be reached by several footpaths. Around 40,000 engravings are spread across 4,000 rocks in two valleys. The archaeological area has been classified as a Monument historique since 1989. The Musée des Merveilles is dedicated to the Vallée des Merveilles and the Fontanalba rock art area.

Important conservation rules apply to visits: the engraving area of Merveilles and Fontanalba lies within the national park and is classified as a Monument historique. Visitors to the Vallée des Merveilles must stay on the marked paths. This is an important local guideline to bear in mind when planning your hike.

Hiking and planning your time

Estimated times for two popular routes provide a concrete point of reference for different destinations. The route from Lac des Mesches to Refuge des Merveilles is estimated to take about three hours. The route from Castérino to Lacs Jumeaux for visits to Fontanalba is listed as taking two hours and 15 minutes. This makes it possible to compare the time required: the second estimate is 45 minutes shorter than the first. However, the starting and ending points differ; these are not variations of the same route.

Castérino is located at an altitude of 1,550 metres and is a starting point for many hikes in the Parc national du Mercantour. In winter, the village is a cross-country skiing area. Another, longer hiking option is the Rabuons–Vens circuit via Mont Ténibre, described as a two-day trek. The core area of the Parc du Mercantour covers 679 km².

When planning your hiking days, distinguish between the individual routes and their respective estimated times. In the Vallée des Merveilles, you must also stay on the marked paths. This allows you to take both the specific route and the conservation rules into account, rather than treating the hiking options as a single tour.

Coast, mountains and regional products

In the wider coastal area of the Côte d’Azur, possible activities include snorkelling, scuba diving, freediving, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, parasailing, boat trips and sea fishing. In the wider mountain area of the Côte d’Azur, activities include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and ziplining. These coastal and mountain activities refer to the broader areas of the Côte d’Azur.

Regional produce can also give your trip a distinctive focus. The tourist Routes des saveurs explore products of the south between the sea and the mountains. Featured products of the Alpes-Maritimes include lemons, honey, beer, wine, cheese and olives. Olive de Nice has been protected by an AOP since 2001. In Tourrettes-sur-Loup, local artisans make syrup and jams from violets and roses, as well as crystallised flowers.

For a cycling trip in the broader Côte-d’Azur context, La Méditerranée à vélo is part of the EuroVelo 8 network. The route follows the French Mediterranean coast through Nice. Alongside the hiking routes, this gives you a choice of regional routes and different activity focuses.

Find a hotel to suit your itinerary

When choosing where to stay, consider which specific destinations matter to you and how their starting points fit into your itinerary. The Alpes-Maritimes combine diverse landscapes and experiences; setting clear priorities makes it easier to compare travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Le Broc, Caille, Gilette, Guillaumes, Péone, Andon, Coursegoules, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Opio, Peymeinade, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Saint-Antonin, Saint-Cezaire-Sur-Siagne, Saint-Jeannet, Saint-Laurent-Du-Var, Saint-Martin-Du-Var, Saint-Vallier-De-Thiey, Sainte-Agnès, Sospel, Spéracèdes, Théoule-Sur-Mer, Tourette-Sur-Loup, Utelle, Valbonne, Vallauris, Vence, Cannes, Roquefort Les Pins, Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, Belvedere, Breil-Sur-Roya, Valdeblore, Fontan, Entraunes, La Tour, Moulinet, Castillon, Roquesteron, Saint-Paul-De-Vence, Sauze, Cipières, Valderoure, Saint-Martin-Dʼentraunes, Lucéram, Castellar, Berre-Les-Alpes, Cantaron, Chateauneuf-Villevieille, Castagniers, Bézaudun-Les-Alpes, Roquebillière, Tende, Puget-Rostang, Sallagriffon, Séranon, Magagnosc, Saint-Dalmas-Le-Selvage, Briançonnet, Puget-Théniers, Roure, Saint-Sauveur-Sur-Tinée, La Turbie, Èze, Peillon, Pierrefeu, L'escarène, Caussols, Gréolières, Beuil, Gorbio, Touët-Sur-Var, Le Mas, La Brigue, Châteauneuf-D'entraunes, Châteauneuf-Grasse, Bairols, La Roquette-Sur-Siagne, Saint-Etienne-De-Tinée, Colomars, Cimiez, Drap, Saint-André-De-La-Roche, Saint-Auban, Roubion, Saint-Blaise, Courmes, Rimplas, Revest-Les-Roches, Villefranche-Sur-Mer, Villeneuve-Loubet, La Colle-Sur-Loup, La Gaude, Le Bar-Sur-Loup, Le Cannet, Le Rouret, Le Tignet, Mandelieu-La-Napoule, Menton, Mouans-Sartoux, La Roquette-Sur-Var, Le Cros-D'utelle, Levens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Auron, Pégomas, Coaraze, Tourrette-Levens, Clans, Grasse, Mougins, Nice, Contes, Gattiéres, Marie, Cap-D'ail, Carros, Bouyon, Peille, Lantosque, Tournefort, Malaussène, Les Ferres, Rigaud, Cuébris, La Penne, Massoins, Isola, La Bollène-Vésubie, Saorge, Aiglun, Antibes, Aspremont, Beausoleil, Bendejun, Biot, Cabris, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, La Trinité

For the broader travel overview: Provence-Alpes-Côte D'azur.