Mountain Walks In The French Maritime Alps
The French Riviera lies at the end of the Alps as they plunge into the Mediterranean sea. It is famous for its seaside resort towns and the jet set visitors they attract. But only a few kilometres away from the crowded coast the vast majority of this area is covered with mountains with peaks that rise up to 3000m only 90km from the coast.
This vast and largely unspoilt area offers endless possibilities for the walker to discover the region’s beautiful fauna and flora. The jewel in its mountainous crown is the Mercantour national park, created in 1979. This protected area covers some 685 km2 along the Italian border and offers beautiful unspoilt scenery and plentiful wildlife.
The park is home to many unique plant species and a large number of animals can be observed including chamois, ibex, marmots and eagles. The park is also home to wolves who recently returned to the area from the neighbouring Italian mountains.
Walking Network
The department’s regional council maintains an extensive network of walking paths. These are often part of centuries old networks that were once the only means of communication in the high valleys.
There are two main types of paths: “Grande Randonnée” (GR - a national network) and departmental foot paths. Both are indicated by coloured marks on rocks and trees as well as wooden sign posts. The sign posts are numbered and you can find their numbers indicated on IGN maps and in guide book descriptions.
Planning Your Walk
The Conseil Général (the area’s county council) publishes free guides that can be obtained from tourist offices. The guides are in French but are understandable if you know a few words, there are also simple to follow maps. You can view some of them online.
Detailed walking maps published by the IGN (France’s National Geographic Institute) have blue covers. You can purchase them in local shops for approximately 15e.
Finally, you can also find walk suggestions at most tourist offices. You’ll also be able to find information here on qualified guides who can bring your walk to life with their knowledge of plants, animals and local folklore.
Preparing Your Walk
Times indicated in guidebooks are for average walkers, they may vary according to your fitness. Times for mountain walking are measured in terms of the altitude rather than the distance. As a rough guide you should count 1 hour per 300m altitude both climbing up and descending.
In addition you’ll need to ensure that you are properly equiped with decent walking shoes as a minimum. You should also take some warm clothing, water and food, hat and suncream and a first aid kit.
Instead of the busy coastal towns such as Nice or Cannes why not try a change of scenery? It’s easy to plan and enjoy walks suited to all levels. You’ll find endless opportunities to appreciate the peaceful beauty and sunny climate of the Riviera’s mountains.
Copyright (c) 2008, Gary Fletcher
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Gary Fletcher writes articles for web sites, newsletters and blogs. Visit http://www.writescribe.com to learn more about buying articles for your site.
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