Maritime Alps Guidebook 2026: Mercantour, the Vallée des Merveilles, Alpi Marittime and the Roya, Vésubie and Tinée Valleys: Hikes, Refuges, Scenic Roads, Mountain Villages and Practical Planning (en Inglés)
Reseña del libro "Maritime Alps Guidebook 2026: Mercantour, the Vallée des Merveilles, Alpi Marittime and the Roya, Vésubie and Tinée Valleys: Hikes, Refuges, Scenic Roads, Mountain Villages and Practical Planning (en Inglés)"
The Maritime Alps are where the Alps meet the Mediterranean: 3,000-metre peaks, ibex, wolves and 40,000 Bronze Age rock engravings, all within ninety minutes of Nice. They are also split between France and Italy, between two parks with different rules, and between valleys that look close on the map and are hours apart by road. Since the storms of 2020, roads, a railway and a major tunnel have closed, reopened and changed again. This guide is written for the range as it is in 2026. WHAT HAS CHANGED, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR TRIP The Col de Tende tunnel is open again, but with alternating one-way traffic, limited hours and closures of several weeks. The Nice to Tende railway is back in service. The road to the Madone de Fenestre is closed to cars. The Alta Via del Sale needs a dated ticket and is closed to motor vehicles two days a week. Each change is explained where it matters, with a fallback plan. BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER IN ONE BOOK French side: the Roya valley and the Vallée des Merveilles, the Vésubie around Saint-Martin-Vésubie, the Tinée with Auron, Isola 2000 and the Col de la Bonette, the red gorges of the Cians and Daluis, the Lac d'Allos, Sospel, the Col de Turini and the perched villages above Menton. Italian side: Valle Gesso and Monte Argentera, Entracque and the royal hunting paths, Limone Piemonte and the forts of the Colle di Tenda, Valle Stura and Sant'Anna di Vinadio, Cuneo and the Pesio valley. INSIDE YOU WILL FIND 18 chapters in five parts, from geography and history to food and etiquette. 15 day walks with start points, ascent and times, plus quieter alternatives for busy days. Two hut-to-hut treks set out day by day, and an overview of the GR52, GR5 and GTA. How to visit the rock engravings: guided tour dates, prices and what you can see without a guide. Refuge directories for France and Italy, with heights and access times. Park rules side by side, including dogs, bivouacs, bikes and drones. Road passes with heights and opening periods, and eight classic cycling climbs. Winter: ski resorts compared, cross-country, snowshoes and avalanche safety. Bus and train lines by number, with 2026 fares. Itineraries for three, five, seven and ten days. French and Italian phrasebooks, a map glossary and a menu glossary. An orientation map, four charts and close to 40 reference tables. 26 appendices built for quick use on the road. WHO IT IS FOR First-time visitors based in Nice, Menton or Cuneo. Walkers planning day hikes or a week in the refuges. Drivers and cyclists drawn by the Bonette, the Turini and the Lombarda. Families who want lakes, wolves and short walks. Anyone who wants to know what is open before they set off. Prices, dates and timetables were checked for the 2026 season. Where a detail could not be confirmed, the book says so and tells you where to check.
