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Various
Unique collection of prehistoric art, with sites, panoramas and excursions in the Mercantour National Park and on the Tende commune. The Mont Bégo, in the middle of all this, is based on a curious and wild site, giving you a distinct eery feeling.
40 000 protohistoric and historic engravings from the Vallées des Merveilles and Fontanalba, sacred sites destined to the dieu-taureau (bull god) and the déesse-terre (earth goddess).
 The Vallée des Merveilles
Via Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende until the Mesches lake where a car park is at your disposal, then follow the vallée de la Minière direction and the refuge des Merveilles ( via the Val d'enfer ) where a wild circus holds many high altitude lakes.
It is possible to take a route via the Fontanalba valley or from Valmasque leaving from Castérino to reach the vallée des Merveilles. These excursions take a few days walking.
Les Mesches - Castérino : 4,5 km by road. parking possible
Castérino - Parc du Mercantour gates, Valmasque sector: 2,5 km by road.
parking possible
Click on image for larger view and calculate walking time with the following map!
Description of a full circuit: from the Val d'Enfer to the Refuge des Merveilles, ie. a 3 hours walk via the group of lakes. This complete circuit comprises of 2 full days. Certain sections are fit for cars (jeep or 4 wheel drive) according to seasons and with certified guides (see list below).
The Refuge des Merveilles is the heart of the best excursions:
- The Mont Bégo : more classic southern climb.
- The Grand Capelet : north-north-west via the Cayre des Conques summit.
- The Cime du Diable : south-west via the Diable lake and the Pas de Trem (panorama).
- Gordolasque valley by Estrech (possible liaison with the Vésubie valley).
- Vallée des Merveilles north-west, within the steep slopes of the Bégo and the Rocher des Merveilles: it’s within this valley that the parietal engravings are found, right up to the Col de la Valmasque north, via a string of small lakes. After the Col de la Valmasque, lake region and Refuge de la Valmasque where one can visit the Agnel lake, le mont Clapier, le Mont Bégo (opposite face). Return toward Mesches, the two circuit separation point, via Casterino. From there, two nice excursions possible:
- The lakes circuit, upto north-west Bégo: Fontanalbes lake, Lacs Jumeaux, Lac des Grenouilles.
- Vallon du Sabion, north west via the Vacherie de Valmasque and the col de l'Agnel: lac de l'Agnel and the lake dam, rocher de l'Abisse, north col de Tende track.
CIRCUIT TIME for the below map: :
The best time to do your journey: from June to October according to weather conditions. If there is no snow, walking is possible in May already. Wonderful open air sites of the vallées des Merveilles and Fontanalbe. Over 36 000 engravings have been carved into stone slabs dating from the copper and bronze age (3300 to 2000 BC). A protected and unique site in Europe.
Getting to the Merveilles, Fontanalbe and Valmasque Valleys:
On your own, on foot, except for the rock art sites where a guide is obligatory for all visits outside the marked footpaths..
4 Wheel drive; Mercantour National Park licenced.
By foot accompanied by a guide, for one day or more, through one of the many outward bounds centres.
Visiting times for regular visits for the Merveilles and Fontanalba archaeological sites.
Prices 2007:
Adult: 10 €
From 12 to 18 ans: 5 €
Under 12s: Free
Family pass (two adults and children) : 20 € .
| Périod |
Frequency
|
Vallée des Merveilles departure opposite the refuge |
Vallée de Fontanalbe departure at 8:00 from the refuge Departure for the « lacs jumeaux » lakes at 11:00 and 14:00 |
| From 01/06 to 30/06, |
long week-end and bank holidays |
8:00-13:00 |
8:00 11:00-14:00 |
| From 01/07 to 31/08 |
every day |
8:00-11:00-13:00-15:00 |
8:00-11:00-14:00 |
| From 01/09 to 30/09 |
from Friday to Monday included |
8:00-13:00 |
8:00-11:00-14:00 |
Length of visits: From 2-1/2 to 3 hours depending on the circuit. The 8:00 is not available whilst refuges are closed. Visits available in English, Italian, German and Spanish.
Groups of 10 persons or more. The visiting hours do not concern you, for your visit, please book a guide from one of the professional organisms listed below.
You may find ideas, with round walks in the « guides rando oxygène » pamphlets printed by the conseil général des Alpes-Maritimes available free of charge at the local tourist information centres, or a printable version at:
www.randoxygene.org column rando pédestre - Haut Pays - Traversées
Circuit idea: LE TOUR DU MONT BEGO
 This 4 day circuit around the Mont Bego sacred mountain, (2872 m altitude) – taking you directly into the heart of the rock art zone. Whether just after the melted snow (June), in high summer (July and August) or early autumn (September), the tour will give a fabulous vision of the Merveilles and Fontanalba Valleys, with their 40 000 petroglyphes. Of course you will not be following in the tracks of the scholars, today a strictly protected area: Emile Rivière as early as 1877, then Clarence Bicknell between 1887 and 1918, Carlo Conti between 1927 and 1942 and Henry de Lumley from 1967 have devoted part of their life to this exalting task! We will just “get to the point” and to let oneself by whisked along through this huge labyrinth of walls and glacier polished rocks thousands of years ago, to wonder at the incredible treasures left to us from primitive populations.
Itininerary
1st day: Castérino - Valmasque
From the car park (1700 m - b.394), follow the large military track that follows the Valmasque valley up to a broken bridge. (1969 m). a new, rather steep footpath (b.374) enables you to reach a flat area before leading back to the last bends of the track. When you reach the 98 mark, take a right (North) te reach the lac Vert lake and the Valmasque CAF refuge perched on a small hilltop (2233 m).
2nd day: Valmasque - Merveilles
« reine » (Queen) stage of the Bégo mountain, leading up from the lacs Vert, Noir and Basto lakes, then ascending the Valmasque dip, that stays snow laden rather late in the season, thus enabling you to « fall » into the well know Vallée des Merveilles. Take your time to check out the different engravings, accompanied by an information panel, then, in the afternoon, head on to the lac Long des Merveilles lake and the CAF refuge, situated a little above (2130 m) via the 97, 96, 95, 94 and 93 marks.
Rochedusorcier3e jour : Merveilles - Fontanalba
 From the refuge, downhill for about 1 km on the « piste des Merveilles », then cut off to the left, to take a shortcut, thus joining the left bank of the Minière Valley thanks to a foot-bridge (b.90, 89, 383). Then uphill to the left (North-West) towards the Vallauretta Valley, up to Gias homonym (b.384). Carry on upwards crossing the valley towards a bunker, slightly below the Vallauretta dip. Cross over the dip and descend the North face via a good path leading to the Fontanalbe military track (b.386, 387); the refuge is easily joined via this thanks to a downhill crossing (2018 m).
4th day: Fontanalba - Castérino
Follow the morning guided visit leaving the refuge at 8:00 or from the lacs Jumeaux PNM chalet (11:00) before finishing your trek back to Castérino. From the refuge, go down to curving drivable track, leading straight North toward the Mercantour National Park gates, and your original car park. An easy jaunt, through meadows and larch woods that coat the mont Paracouerte via the 389, 390, 392 and 395 marks.
  
MUSÉE DÉPARTEMENTAL DES MERVEILLES
The Musée Départemental des Merveilles is dedicated to the High Roya Valley’s natural history, archaeology and ethnology. Situated in Tende, it is open all year.
A must to discover the lives of those who engraved the thousands of coloured rocks at more than 2000m altitude.
Excursions on foot
Michaël BOULET
ESCAPPATI
 06 78 97 77 10
  04 93 04 89 73
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Enthusiastic walk around the Merveilles engravings and the Roya country, to your taste: sport, discovery, pastoral, culinary, (French and English)
Bureau des guides - Bérenger Aventures
6 bis rue Sébastien Grandis - 06430 TENDE
Mercantour National Park official guide permit.
Fully qualified guide « Haute Montagne », Via Ferrata, canyoning, climbing, mountaineering, heliski, snowshoeing, mountain walking, ski, ice cascades, trips, expeditions, all nature activities.
04 93 04 77 85
06 85 42 57 45
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 http://www.berengeraventures.com/
Bertand Magron
6 montée des fleurs, 06430 TENDE
Mountain and climbing monitor: Vallee des Merveilles, culture, sportive and nature rambling (wildlife and geology), snowshoeing, PNM partner, Mercantour, Argentera, Piedmont, Liguria.
06 70 20 71 73
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Maison de la Montagne Merveilles Mercantour
11 avenue du 16 septembre 1947, 06430 TENDE
Outdoor adventure supervision, mountain walking, Vallee des Merveilles, rambling, mountain biking, Via Ferrata, canyoning, snowshoeing, sports shop, rentals. Mercantour National Park archeological site official guide permit.
Online bookings for activities, Via Ferrata equipments, mountain bikes, snowshoes.
Mercantour National Park archeological site official guide permit.
Tourist permit currently under request
04 93 04 77 73
06 70 42 56 87
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www.merveilles-mercantour.com
Franck Panza
Quartier St Jacques, 06430 TENDE
Guide: Mountain walking, rambling, or 4 wheel drive, Vallee des Merveilles rock engravings tours, Mercantour National Park official guide permit, ski instructor.
Guide: Mountain walking, rambling, or 4 wheel drive, Vallee des Merveilles rock engravings tours, Mercantour National Park official guide permit, ski instructor.
04 93 04 73 21
http://www.panzamerveilles.com
Paul Servel
Hameau de Castérino, 06430 TENDE
Guide: Discovery outings walks or snowshoeing. Mercantour National Park official guide permit.
04 93 04 65 93
04 93 04 77 65
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Syndicat local Merveilles Gravures et Découverte, (Discovery and Engravings local union)
10 montée des fleurs, 06430 TENDE
Groups twenty or so non qualified mountain guides from Roya Bevera: day trips or long stays, Merveilles, naturalists, culturists, snowshoeing, specialists for schools, handicaps, English spoken, si parla Iitaliano, Deutsch gesprochen. Also in charge of the regular engravings service implemented by the Mercantour National Park.
04 93 04 89 72
06 86 03 90 13
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4 WHEEL DRIVE EXCURSIONS
(Mercantour National Park, Col de Tende, Marguareis mountain range)
The 4WD may approach the Park refuges. For a guided tour of the sites, allow for 3 to 3 ½ hours walk. Prices are approximately 65 euros per person -4 persons sharing the same vehicle. Other prices are available for groups. For more information or to book online: www.loisirs-mercantour.com
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The "vallée des Merveilles" 
