The Upper Roya Valley: from Tende to Menton

Easy to moderate. Between 2 and 5/6 hours of walking and/or 300 to 800m of ascent and 300 to 1000m of descent per day, with no technical difficulties, on easy to moderate paths and trails. Suitable for anyone with some previous experience of mountain walking, even if limited.

No luggage to carry: you only carry a small backpack with your picnic lunch and everything you need for the day. Your luggage will be waiting for you at your accommodation each evening.

A minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 12 people.

Guide gratuities are optional and at your discretion. To reward outstanding service, a suggested guideline is 5–10% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred.

7 days / 6 nights / 6 days of hiking.

Guiding

Led by a qualified mountain walking guide. Confirm the guide’s working language when enquiring about a future departure.

Accommodation

In 2* hotels or equivalent, or in guesthouses, in rooms for two, occasionally 3. Showers and toilets are in the rooms or sometimes shared on the same floor.

Meals

Full board. Evening meals and breakfasts are served hot. Dinner at your accommodation or in town.
Picnic lunches at midday.

Start

The planned meeting point is La Brigue railway station. The exact time and location will be confirmed with any future departure.

Finish

The planned finish is Menton railway station on Day 7. Confirm the end time before booking onward travel.

For a confirmed departure, joining instructions will set out the meeting point, guide contact details and first accommodation.

Nice Airport and Nice Ville railway station are the main gateways. Check current flight, rail and local transfer options to La Brigue before arranging travel. For rail services, consult SNCF Connect. If arriving by car, check current parking in La Brigue and the return rail connection from Menton before departure.

A number of our trips offer opportunities to swim, either during the day’s route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame not to make the most of them. However, we emphasise that you alone must decide whether it is appropriate to swim; any swimming is therefore your own responsibility and at your own risk.

For current information about our responsible-travel commitments, see our story.

For hiking

• Waterproof hiking boots with ankle support, a sturdy heel counter and soles with good tread
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Shorts, T-shirts and technical underwear (quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Telescopic walking poles (optional), very helpful for making walking easier

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting sweat odours! (Brands include Icebreaker, Ruka, etc.).
As a general rule, avoid cotton, which makes you cold when wet.

For your lunchtime picnic

• A plastic bowl, container or plate
• Cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
• A water bottle with a capacity of at least 1.5 litre (required)

For protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection) and sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain cape or a Gore-Tex jacket and, if needed, Gore-Tex trousers

After your hike

• A pair of trainers for the evening
• A change of clothes and underwear
• A toiletry bag and a small towel
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, Elastoplast, Biogaze or “2nd skin”, gauze, disinfectant, arnica pellets and aspirin for minor aches and injuries … (quite a list! But rest assured, the first-aid kit often comes back untouched after your week of hiking)
• Swimwear

• A small, comfortable 30 to 40 L backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a suitcase that is not too bulky. One bag per person, limited to 15kg

Documents

A valid national identity card or passport.

Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist and Convention Office
5 Promenade des Anglais
06302 NICE
Tel.: +33 (0) 492144614
Website

Nice bus station: Tel.: 0493856181
Menton Tourist Office: Tel.: 0492417676
Menton bus station: Tel.: 0493359360
Les Rapid' Côte d’Azur in Nice: Tel.: 0820481111

The Mediterranean climate makes this trip possible all year round. Late autumn (for its colours) and early spring (for its flowers) are probably the most pleasant seasons for hiking. But be aware! In a Mediterranean climate, these are also the rainiest times of the year! There is therefore a real risk of encountering unsettled weather along the way.

• “Roya and Bévéra” valley guide (Editions du Cabri, 2005)
• Charles ASTRO and Luc THEVENON, “Painting in the 17th Century in the Alpes-Maritimes” (Ed SERRE, 1985)
• René SAORGIN and Raphaël SANT, “The Historic Organs of the Nice Region” (Ed du Cabri)
• P de BEAUCHAMP, “Religious Art in the Alpes-Maritimes”, Ed EDISUD, 1990 (very clear and well illustrated)
• The beautiful books by M BABY-PABION, “Ludovic Bréa and Early Painting in Nice”, Ed Serre, 1991 (the most authoritative work on Bréa), and by G and P LECLERC, “Louis Bréa, a Poem of Unity” (Ed Mame, 1992) (the most beautiful and the most mystical).
• A beautiful book on “The Chapel of Mercy” (the masterpiece of Nice Baroque architecture) by P and J CASTELA (Institut d’Etudes Niçoises, 1993)
• Finally, the local journal “THE HIGH COUNTRY” is particularly rich in content (Quartier Verpierre 06540 BREIL/ROYA)

• I.G.N 1/100000 scale, no. 61 Nice-Barcelonnette
• I.G.N 1/25000 no. 3742 OT Nice-Menton, 3841 OT Roya Valley, 3741 ET Bévéra and Paillons Valleys