The Merveilles valley tour (Mercantour)
Duration : 6 days
France, Southern Alps
Level : intermediate
from 671 € / p. from 4 to 8 persons
Infos & Booking
Description
I invite you to join me on a tour of the Vallée des Merveilles, an adventure combining nature and prehistory.
Nestled in the heart of the Mercantour National Park, in the Alpes-Maritimes department, the Vallée des Merveilles (Wonders' valley) tour offers a unique immersion in a landscape that is wild, majestic, and steeped in history. This exceptional site, located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, is famous for its spectacular alpine landscapes, its crystal-clear glacial lakes, but above all for its mysterious rock carvings dating back to the bronze age.
This route takes you through varied and sublime landscapes: bubbling torrents, high-altitude lakes such as Lac Vert and Lac des Mesches, austere scree slopes and windy passes. Each stage offers the opportunity to discover a wealth of flora and fauna. It is not uncommon to spot chamois, ibex, marmots, or even the golden eagle, the park's emblem.
The unique feature of the Vallée des Merveilles lies in the thousands of rock carvings that cover its rocks. These works, engraved between 3000 and 1800 BC, bear witness to the beliefs and rituals of the first Alpine civilizations. It is estimated that there are more than 40,000 engravings throughout the area, making the valley one of the largest collections of protohistoric engravings in Europe. The most famous representations include anthropomorphic figures, weapons (daggers, halberds), horns, and the famous "sorcerer" or "tribal chief,", whose interpretation remains a subject of debate. The exact meaning of these engravings is still shrouded in mystery, but their symbolic richness gives the site an almost sacred aura.
For preservation reasons, certain areas are closed to the public, which is why you will visit them with a certified guide who will show you these engravings while respecting the site's natural and archaeological heritage.
Although the trek does not require any particular technical skills, it is still intended for hikers in good physical condition. The altitude, the sometimes significant elevation gains (up to 1,000 meters) and the rapid changes in mountain weather require preparation and caution.
More than just a hike, the Vallée des Merveilles trekking is a journey through time. Between the raw beauty of the alpine landscapes and the mystery of the rock carvings, the experience leaves a lasting and profound impression. It is an adventure that is at once physical, cultural, and spiritual, inviting contemplation and reflection on our most ancient roots.
I also offer several hiking trips to discover other places in the Southern Alps:
- a trekking in the Valgaudemar,
- the Dévoluy tour,
- 6 days of star-shaped hikes in the Luberon,
- the tour of the Clarée valley in the Hautes-Alpes
- and the Vieux Chaillol tour.
Program
Day 1: Arrival at Lac des Mesches then climb to the Neige & Merveilles hut.
Meet at around 4pm in the Lac des Mesches parking lot.
Approximately 35 minutes' walk to reach the hamlet of Minière de Vallauriale and the Neige & Merveilles hut where we will spend the night.
Day 2: Neige & Merveilles hut - Merveilles hut.
Let's set off on the first stage of the tour of the Merveille valley towards the Merveilles hut in the valley of the same name.
We will visit the famous rock carvings before settling in for the night at the refuge.
Elevation gain: 720 meters, distance: 7.2 km, walking time: 4 hours.
Day 3: Merveilles hut - Nice hut.
Today promises to be a beautiful stage with the passage of the Baisse de Valmasque and its view of Lake Basto, then the Baisse du Basto and the descent to the Nice hut.
Elevation gain: 720 meters, elevation loss: 620 meters, distance: 9.5 km, walking time: 4.5 hours.
Day 4: Nice hut - Valmasque hut.
From the Nice hut, we set off into the Vallon de la Fous to reach the Pas de la Fous and then begin the descent towards a multitude of lakes (Lac Gelé, Lac Noir, Lac du Basto, Lac Vert) and finally arrive at the Valmasque hut.
Elevation gain: 660 meters, elevation loss: 640 meters, distance: 5.6 km, walking time: 3.5 hours.
Day 5: Valmasque hut - Neige & Merveilles hut.
For the last stage of this trek, we set off on an off-trail route to reach Baisse de Fontanalba, then Lac Vert de Fonalba, the archaeological remains, Baisse de Valauretta, and the Neige & Merveilles hut.
Elevation gain: 700 meters, elevation loss: 1,530 meters, distance: 16.7 km, walking time: less than 7 hours.
Day 6: Neige & Merveilles hut - Mesches car park.
It's the last day and after breakfast we return to the parking loy and our vehicles.
Your journey is over and it's time to say goodbye, full of memories of this tour of the Vallée des Merveilles.
Walking time: 20 minutes.
Note: In case of bad weather or the need for changes, I reserve the right to adapt the itineraries and content of the trip.
The price includes
- Supervision by the mountain leader.
- 5 nights half board (mountain hut, nights in dormitories with around ten beds).
- Meals from the evening of day 1 to the morning of day 6 (dinners, breakfasts, picnics).
- Guided tour of the rock art site in the Vallée des Merveilles.
- Logistical organization of the trip.
The price does not include
- Return transport to the meeting point at Lac des Mesches, an hour and a half drive from Nice or Cuneo in Italy.
- Personal expenses (drinks or other purchases).
- Cancellation insurance (optional).
- Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".
Accommodation
In mountain lodges and huts (dormitories).