Maritime Alps - Maps and Guide books

In Italy we used:

Carta Dei Sentieri e dei Refugi 1:25000 
113 Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime Entracque Valdieri Mercantour Gelas.


In France we used:

IGN (Institut Geographique National) 

3841OT  Vallee de la Roya, Vallee des Merveilles





3741OT Vallee de la Vesubie

3741ET Valles de la Bevera et des Paillons




There are two Cicerone guides that provide useful information on the area.



Walks and Treks in the Maritime Alps, by Gillian Price.







The GR5 Trail, by Paddy Dillon

Maritime Alps - Summary

Here is a summary of our itinerary.

From	To	Via	Mode of Travel	Ascent /m	Descent /m	Accomodation
Home	Paris	London	Train	N/A	N/A	Hotel In Paris
Paris	Entraque	Turin, Cuneo	Train, Train, Bus, Foot	N/A	N/A	Camping
Entraque	Entraque	Explored the village	Foot	N/A	N/A	Camping
Entraque	Rif Questa	Term di Valdieri	Hitched and on foot	1050	?	Rif. Questa
Rif. Questa	Rif Remondino	Col. Di Valasco, Piano della Casa,	Foot	1172	1004	Rif. Remondino
Rif Remondino	Rif. Genova Figari	Col. Di Broccan	Foot	482	947	Rif. Genova Figari
Rif Genova Figari	Rif Soria Ellena	Col. Di Finistrelle	Foot	611	774	Rif Soria Ellena
Rif Soria Ellena	Ref. Nice	Col. Di Finersta 1903, Pass du Mont Colomb 2548m, La Barme 2150m	Foot	1228	838	Ref Nice
Ref. Nice	Ref. Valmasque	Baisse du Basto 2693m	Foot	667	679	Ref. Valmasque
Ref. Valmasque	Ref. Valmasque	Col. Charnassere 2727m, Pas de Faus 2828m	Foot	901	888	Ref. Valmasque
Ref. Valmasque	Ref. Merveilles	Baisse de Valmasque 2549m	Foot	467	576	Ref. Merveilles
Ref. Merveilles	Wild camp Tete de Gais	Cime du Diable 2685m, Baisse Cavaline 2107m, Col de Raus 1999m, Baisse de St Veran 1836m, Pointe de Trois Communes 2080m, Baisse de Ventabren 1862m, Baisse de Dea 1750m, Mangiabo 1821m, Tete de Gais	Foot	1086	1699	Wild camp Tete de Gais
Wild camp Tete de Gais	Wild camp Morga	Baisse de la Liniere 1342m, baisse de Figuiera 760m, Sospel 354m, col de Razet 1032m	Foot	865	1482	Wild camp Morga
Wild camp Morga	Menton	Col de Bercea 1090m, Plan de Lion 720m, Garavan 0m	Foot	398	1256	Camp site Menton
Menton	Monte Carlo	Coast path	Foot	N\A	N\A	Camp site Menton
Menton	Home	Paris, London	Train	N\A	N\A	Home

Maritime Alps - Cime du Ters to Morga

Sospel

Sunday 1st September

We slept well on our private campsite. No noisy neighbours here.
The first col of the day was Baisse de la Liniete (1342m). We walked downhill all morning, mostly through pine woodland and mixed deciduous lower in the valley around Baisse de Figuera (750m) finally reaching a road and paths that took shortcuts into Sospel.

Sospel is a pleasant town with a river running through the middle and a distinctive old footbridge. We stopped for lunch and sat by the river to eat.

Dry rough terrain of the southern part of the GR52

The GR 52 is clearly marked out of town crossing a railway line and some short cuts across the road which is soon left behind once more. The path climbs steadily through shaded woods to l'Albarea and out into. Clearing by a water trough where we rested in the shade for a snack. This was the last water supply before Menton.

Our first view of  the Mediterranean

Some height is then lost to cross the Ravin de Roulabre and several side valleys; all dry. The path climbs steeply to Col du Razet 1032m with a view of the Mediterranean Sea in the heat haze. After the col the path levels out for a while before climbing up to Colla Bassa through dense trees.

The path takes a right turn down a rough track to a muddy bend where a narrow path turns off on the right at 969m. The path passes a small house in the left with a satellite dish. A little further on the route crosses to the other side of the valley where we camped on an abandoned field terrace.

Ascent 865m
Descent 1482m

Abandoned terraces make good camping spots
with the Med in the distance