where the Valletta forks, for example, a mule track laid during the mid-19th century when the whole area was declared a hunting reserve for King Vittorio Emanuel II, leads through forests and rocky outcrops, up to a region of lakes trapped in the stony wilderness of the frontier ridge: Lagos di Valscura, del Claus and delle Portette. An unguarded hut (Rifugio di Questa) stands on the north shore of this last lake at an altitude of 2388 metres. The three lakes are linked by a rough path that may be followed down to a fourth tarn, and beyond this into the lonely Freddo valley which eventually feeds into the Valle Stura near Ruviera.
Other tarns are accessible from the Valle della Valletta roadhead. Consider, for example, those which are lodged on a broad terrace under the frontier ridge near Cime de Frémamorte; a charming string of tarns and with a one-time military route enticing over the border into France to Col de Salèse. Instead of crossing that border at Col de Frémamorte, however, the Cime itself might appeal – there is a track which crosses screes below the south-east ridge and goes to the summit without difficulty.
GTA (Grande Traversata delle Alpi)
It is here in the Alpi Marittime that an epic 633 kilometre route begins its journey through the western Italian Alps. The GTA explores some of the most delightful mountain landscapes in Italy on its 47-day trek from Viozene near Ormea, to Molini di Calasca in the shadow of Monte Rosa. Gillian Price’s guide, Through the Italian Alps, gives all the information a walker needs to tackle what promises to become one of the great Alpine treks.
Having treated the heart of the Maritime Alps to a rather selective introduction, pointing out just a few of the opportunities that exist for walkers among some of the finest valleys, it seems opportune here to devise a tour of the region from hut-to-hut using the GR52 as a rough guide, but with a few diversions thrown in as a way of illustrating the district’s appeal. It will be a challenging route in places, and depending on one’s ambition for peak-bagging along the way, it might be useful to carry an ice axe. If a straight hut-to-hut route is envisaged during the summer months, such equipment can be left at home.
Hut-to-hut in the Alpes Maritime
Our route makes an east to west traverse, mostly on the French side of the border, and begins at St-Dalmas-de-Tende in the Vallée du Roya. St-Dalmas can be reached by train from Nice, and the first day will be spent walking up the Vallon de la Minière to Refuge des Merveilles. A minimum of two nights should be spent here in order to visit some of the pictograph sites, and to climb Mont Bégo or Cime du Diable (2685m). An alternative to spending two nights at the Merveilles hut would be to spend the second night at Refuge de Valmasque. This would still allow time to see some of the rock engravings, and to climb Mont Bégo.
Moving on cross the saddle of Baisse du Basto to Refuge de Nice, passing on the way some of the finest accessible rock engravings of the Merveilles region. Good visibility is needed for this crossing, for in mist the way is not obvious. Once there time should be spent exploring the area round the Nice hut; Mont Clapier may be climbed by enterprising walkers with a little scrambling experience, and it may also be tempting to cross the border by Pas de Pagari in order to spend a night in the Rifugio Pagari. Much will depend, of course, on the amount of time available.
Rock peaks above Refuge de Cougourde carry the Franco-Italian border
To continue the route westward go round Lac de la Fous, then climb up the west flank of the valley to Pas du Mont Colomb (2548m), and there make a diversion to the right for the ascent of the easy 2816 metre Mont Colomb which rewards with some splendid views. On the descent from the pass take caution if snow is still lying. An ice axe may be useful here in the early part of the summer. The trail leads down to Madone de Fenestre and the refuge, and once again there are plenty of distractions to delay further progress on the hut-to-hut traverse. Among the excuses to delay are possible ascents of Cime St-Robert and Cime du Gélas, and the temptation to stray across Col de Fenestre to visit Rifugio Dado Soria. It would also be feasible for strong walkers to descend in Italy after a night at the Dado Soria hut, and head through the valley of the Gesso di Barra to its junction with the Rovina glen, then return towards the frontier ridge via the Vallone della Rovina, spend a night in the Genova hut, and next day return to France by way of Col de la Ruine above Refuge de Cougourde. This would give a brief introduction to the north flank of the mountains.
| Day 1: | St-Dalmas-de-Tende – Refuge des Merveilles |
| Day 2: | Refuge des Merveilles – Mont Bégo (or Cime du Diable) – Refuge des Merveilles |
| or: | Refuge des Merveilles – Mont Bégo – Refuge de Valmasque |
| Day 3: | Refuge des Merveilles (or Refuge de Valmasque) – Baisse du Basto – Refuge de Nice |
| Day 4: | Refuge de Nice – Mont Clapier – Refuge de Nice |
| or: | Refuge de Nice – Pas de Pagari – Rifugio Pagari |
| Day 5: | Refuge de Nice – Pas du Mont Colomb – Mont Colomb (optional) – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre |
| or: | Rifugio Pagari – Pas de Pagari – Pas du Mont Colomb – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre |
| Day 6: | Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Cime St-Robert or Cime du Gélas (optional) – Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre |
| or: | Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Col de Fenestre – Rifugio Dado Soria |
| Refugio Dado Soria – Gesso di Barra – Vallone della | |
| Rovina – Rifugio Genova | |
| Rifugio Genova – Col de la Ruine – Refuge de Cougourde | |
| Day 7: | Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre – Pas des Ladres – Refuge de Cougourde |
| Day 8: | Refuge de Cougourde – Cime Guilié or Tête de Ruine – Refuge de Cougourde |
| or: | Refuge de Cougourde – Col Guilié – Rifugio Franco Remondino |
| Rifugio Remondino – Punta dell’Argentera – Refuge de Cougourde | |
| Day 9: | Refuge de Cougourde – Le Boréon – St-Martin-Vésubie |
A more straightforward route across the mountains to Refuge de Cougourde resumes along GR52 from the Madone de Fenestre hut. The crossing here is made at the Pas des Ladres, but beyond the Lac de Trecolpas GR52 is abandoned in favour of an alternative trail which leads to the hut, while the waymarked route descends to the Vallée du Boréon. Since this is the last hut on our basic traverse it will be worth booking a bed for two or three nights in order to take advantage of the peak-bagging opportunities that abound. Rock climbers will be attracted to the quartet of Cougourde peaks that are thrust above the hut to the north-east, while mountain walkers with no pretensions towards climbing agility could find entertainment on the Cime Guilié or the Tête de Ruine. The two Lacs Bessons on the way to the Tête are also worth a visit in their own right, even if you have no interest in collecting summits. The big diversion here though, for experienced Alpine walkers, is to cross the border at Col Guilié and make for the Rifugio Franco Remondino, and there spend the night. Next day climb Punta dell’Argentera and return to the Cougourde hut. The West Col guide, Mercantour Park, gives the necessary route descriptions.
Finally descend to Le Boréon