Tag Archives: Maritime Alps

VALLÉE DES MERVEILLES – MAGIC MARVELS IN THE MARITIME ALPS

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Along the shores of the Lac des Merveilles with the Baisse de Valmasque shrouded in clouds beyond.
Along the shores of the Lac des Merveilles with the Baisse de Valmasque shrouded in clouds beyond.

High in the southernmost reaches of the French Alps, lies the small slot-like canyon of the Vallée des Merveilles – the Valley of Marvels.  The name came about from the many thunderstorms ranging through this uppermost section of the Maritime Alps which contain the last of the alpine peaks in France reaching up to 3,000 meters in elevation heading south through the range towards the Mediterranean Sea.  Those same ‘marvels’ led men centuries ago to create marvels of a totally different sort, literally thousands of pictographs allowing us a small peek into life during the Bronze Age.

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SAINTE-AGNÈS – MAGIC ON THE RIVIERA

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Magnificent view to the north from the castle ruins atop Sainte-Agnes.
Magnificent view to the north from the castle ruins atop Sainte-Agnès.

Hilltop villages, while picturesque in the extreme, offer up a window into a very uncertain past.  One such village is Sainte-Agnès sitting high above the cities of Menton and Roquebrune-Cap Martin in the far southeastern corner of France. Proclaimed as the highest lying coastal village in France, the village also belongs to the unique group “Plus Beaux Villages de France” – the Most beautiful Villages of France. Set 760 meters above the Mediterranean, the view over the towns of Menton and Cap-Martin-Roquebrune are magnificent. Walking through the narrow medieval alleys is a treat onto itself.

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L’AUTHION – STUDY OF DEFENSE FROM ONE CENTURY INTO THE NEXT

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Looking back on GR 52 coming out from Pas du Diable contouring the northern part of the Ortigue Ridge with the Fort of Point des Trois Communes above.
Looking back on GR 52 coming out from Pas du Diable contouring the northern part of the Ortigue Ridge with the Fort of Point des Trois Communes above.

The massif of L’Authion separates three valleys from each other in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the southeastern corner of France. Located at a strategic location, the peaks of L’Authion figure in history over the centuries as armies have clashed here high in the mountains.

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MAGIC OF WALKING ON THE GRAND RONDONEE 52

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Looking north from the top of Mangiabo on GR 52.
Looking north from the top of Mangiabo on GR 52.

Grand Randonnée 5 represents France’s premier alpine adventure running from Thonon-les-Bains on the south shore of Lake Geneva to Nice on the Mediterranean. Many choose another alternative for the final third of the route, switching GR 52 for 5 just south of the Col de Larche. This route – known as the Balcon du Mercantour – stays much higher than GR 5 and offers much more drama as it marches southeast and then south to finish on the Mediterranean at the boat harbor of Menton-Garavan.

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HERE BUT GONE? – A RIVIERAN MYSTERY ON GR 51

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DANGER OF DEATH – TRAIL CLOSED! Hmm.

Recently, on a long distance walk I was involved with, the Grand Randonée – GR – 51 figured prominently with our last day’s trek. From the hilltop village of Sainte-Agnés, initial plans called for an ascent of the Cime du Basson and then a traverse of the eastern slopes of Mont Agel. From there, we planned on dropping down into Roquebrune and Cap Martin on the Mediterranean coast past Mont Gros.

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