France - Provence Self-guided walking hilltop villages and Baroque Architecture of la Haute Roya
Self-guided hiking tour around Menton in the Haute Roya.
This self-guided trip will take you from the mountains to the ocean, weaving from one balcony path to the next, you will explore villages nestled amongst pine forests and olive groves. You will be broadly following what was once a very important road, which was used to transport salt and thus brought wealth to the region. Your route will take you through some of the most beautiful hilltop villages on the Côte d’Azur and through the beautiful countryside which surrounds Nice.
Day 1
D1 • St Dalmas de Tende Arrival in Saint Dalmas de Tende. You can also spend the day sight-seeing and checking out what Nice has to offer.
Day 2
Tende > La Brigue (4h20 - 7.5 miles) You climb from the town of La Brigue, up a tight valley laden with wild lavender, thyme, and winter savoury. Passing the ruins of stone dwellings, you reach the Boselia pass and begin a breathtaking and panoramic descent along the slope towards Tende, the very last town before the Italian border. Take a well-deserved pause in town, at a local café or restaurant. Though we have marked a walking route to return to La Brigue, the railway line links both villages, and so you can take the train to return. Dinner and Night in La Brigue
Day 3
St Dalmas – Fontan – Saorge + 400m / - 400m, approximately 4h30
Day 4
D4 • Saorge - Breil sur Roya + 850m et - 1100m; 5h30 You will discover Saorge, the most beautiful perched village in the region
Day 5
D5 • Breil sur Roya - Piène Haute – Sospel + 450m, -450m 5h30. From Breil sur Roya to Sospel, passing by Piène Haute, with breaktaking views as you cross balcony paths and walk through olive groves.
Day 6
D6 • Sospel – St Agnes + 550m, - 500m; approximately 4h30 You will head from Sospel to Castillon, taking the bus in the direction of Menton (€1,5) – leaves at 10:30 during the week and 10:05 on Sunday. From col de Castillon to the village of St Agnès, via the summit of Mont Ours (1239m).
Day 7
D7 • St Agnès – Menton via Castellar+ 200m, -500m; 4h30 From here on you can coast down almost all the way to the sea! It is a lovely walk through the pine forest until you reach the hilltop village of Castellar, then you head straight down in to Menton’s old town
Day 8
D8 • Menton End after the breakfast ________________________________________
Included : (see details in Dates and Prices section)
2 and 3 star hotels and 1 simple auberge-
1 dinners
Luggage transfer
An English road book and a map.
English speaking email or phone assistance
Starts in : St Dalmas de Tende
Ends in : Menton
Access : train station. Airport
Information : click on "ask for more information"
Phone Cecile : +33 5 58 48 71 65
Customize your tour : add or remove one night or more,combine with another tour
See also :
MORE PHOTOS IN OUR BLOG : CLICK HERE
Highlights
The cultural mesh of Italian and French influences
The lost village of La Brigue, on the Italian border
The magnificent perched village of Sainte Agnès
