Mercantour National Park
Alpine valleys, lakes and Bronze Age rock engravings in south-east France
Some 37,000 Bronze Age petroglyphs cover the rock around Mont Bégo in the Vallée des Merveilles, set among summits that rise above 3,000 m. The park spans seven valleys, from Roya and Vésubie to Verdon and Ubaye, and has 28 villages in its peripheral zone.
Things to do
- On footWalk into the Vallée des Merveilles to see the rock engravings, ideally as a two-day circuit with a night at the refuge des Merveilles
- On footClimb to the glacial Lac Nègre, a hike with more than 600 metres of elevation gain
- Try thisFollow the GR 5 or GR 52 across the park over several days
- HeritageVisit the Musée des Merveilles in Tende and the Wolves Centre in Saint-Martin-Vésubie
France · Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes Est. 1979 Size 679 km² Highest 3,143 m Protected area category: IUCN II
Also worth seeing
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Musée des Merveilles
Tende museum with real and reproduced petroglyphs from around Mont Bégo.