Mercantour National Park

Lovers of breath-taking landscapes, the Mercantour is for you! By way of mountain paths, the hiker will discover panoramas with the Mediterranean stretching as far as the eye can see.

Situated close to the Mediterranean and endowed with exceptional geology, the Mercantour National Park, a candidate to become a UNESCO world heritage site, has very varied mountain landscapes including gorges, high peaks and forests. Wild and well conserved, the Mercantour is blessed with an exceptionally sunny climate throughout the year!

From sea to mountain, from 300 to more than 3000 metres in altitude, it extends over eight valleys each with its particular identity and a remarkable wealth of plant life: the Roya, Bévéra, Vésubie, Tinée, the high valleys of the Var, Cians and Verdon, and finally the Ubaye.

The naturalist can observe more than 2000 species of plants, which is nearly half of all those identified in France, some of which are only found in the Mercantour.

This land on the border with Italy is also populated by emblematic mammals such as the Wolf and Stoat, large ungulates like the Chamois and Ibex, rare birds including the Black Grouse, Golden Eagle and Bearded Vulture, together with a variety of reptiles and insects.

The discoveries to be made in the Mercantour are not only natural but also cultural, for example the Vallée des Merveilles and Fontanalba, an archaeological site that is unique in France with a history dating back almost 46 000 years and 40 000 exceptional rock engravings!

Cultural or athletic, in winter or in spring, moving from place to place or staying put, no two stays in the Mercantour are ever the same!