Lac Noir Vallee De La Valmasque Mercantour National Park Pango Visual

Hiking

in the Valley of Wonders

Engravings and captions

The Vallée des Merveilles is not a classic hike. Here, the magic of the site compels us to enter into communion with a history some 5,000 years old. In this land where Bronze Age men left their mark, visitors are drawn in by the discovery of engravings paying homage to the mountain and sky deities who sat atop the Bégo summit. The name “Merveilles” is relatively recent and comes from the Italian “valle delle meraviglie”, meaning the valley of mysteries and prodigies.

Along the way, the “Sorcier” and the “Chef de Tribu” will undoubtedly light your way… Ready for an initiatory, quasi-mystical experience, which can be experienced at close quarters, at the pace of the hike?

Vallée des Merveilles map - Mercantour National Park

Two sites to admire the engravings

du Mont Bégo

Two distinct sites, on either side of Mont Bego, are home to some of the finest engravings in the world: the Vallée des Merveilles and the Fontanalba site. Both are well worth a visit, and together form the magnificent Les Merveilles archaeological site.

The Valley of Wonders

The Sorcerer’s Engraving and many more can be discovered here.

⏱️ Allow 3 hours to reach the Merveilles refuge, and then 2 hours to visit the engravings.

The Fontanalba site

The sacred path (a vast reddish slab) is a must-see! More wooded, this site is just as rich in engravings as the Vallée des Merveilles.

⏱️ It’s a 2-hour walk from Castérino to the site entrance at Lac Vert.
It then takes 2 hours to discover the engravings on the famous Fontanalba “ciappe”.

The Valley of Wonders

The site takes the form of a vast glacial cirque, with numerous lakes and large slabs of glacier-polished rock on which the engravings are found.

Vallee Des Merveilles Parc National Du Mercantour Sorcier Mickael Besse

Visit the engravings

Only one way

Merveilles Gravures et Découvertes

To access the entire protected area and the engravings located off the authorized trails, you need to be accompanied by an approved guide. Since 2018, the Mercantour National Park has introduced a compulsory online booking system in both valleys👉 www.vallee-merveilles.com

Visiting the Vallée des Merveilles with a guide allows you to unravel its mysteries. They’ll introduce you to the various theories of interpretation of the engravings and have you walk in the footsteps of Mankind.

Visits are organized regularly from June to the end of September (depending on snow conditions) with guides and mountain leaders approved by the Mercantour National Park, under the umbrella of ” Merveilles, Gravures et Découvertes “.

There are two ways to book an in-depth visit with a guide:

Groups of up to 15 people;
Individuals or families.

Let us accompany you

by an enthusiastic guide:

Guided hikes

Other mountain guides can also help you discover the Valley and its mysteries, and guide you through the heart of the Park. If you’d like to see the engravings, don’t forget to ask them if they have“Merveilles Gravures et Découvertes” accreditation:

Motorized approach

Our guides also offer rock engravings discovery excursions with a motorized approach followed by a hike in the protected areas at the heart of the Mercantour Park, with full commentary. The motorized approach is an ideal choice for anyone with walking difficulties.

Guided walk
Motorized approach

Guided Tour Gravures Rupestres Vallee De Fontanalbe Parc National Du Mercantour Gravures Pango Visual

Without guide,

on authorized trails

Lac Du Basto Vallee De La Valmasque Parc National Du Mercantour Pango Visual

Strict rules must be observed when visiting Les Merveilles and Fontanalba freely. To prevent damage to the sites, they are monitored and subject to special protection rules: free movement is only permitted on the GR 52 and on the marked trails, from which it is forbidden to deviate.

On authorized itineraries only, two discovery trails enable visitors to appreciate the many engraved rocks, some of which are commented on by educational panels. Pictograms remind visitors of other rules to protect the engravings: don’t step on them, don’t touch them, and don’t use shod hiking poles.

Visit a protected site

How much time to spend

in the Valley of Wonders?

See for yourself! On each of the two sites, there’s a refuge where you can eat and sleep. A bivouac area is marked out near these refuges (but it is forbidden in the protected area of the engravings).

In the Vallée de Merveilles, it’s possible to discover the rock engravings in 1 day, accompanied by certified “Guides Des Merveilles” guides, either on foot or by motorized approach.

4 Route ideas :

1 day

Departure Castérino

Castérino – Fontanalba refuge: 1h30 walk
Guided tour (loop): from the Fontanalba refuge to see the engravings, to be booked in advance (1:30pm).
Refuge de Fontanalba – Castérino: 1h30 (or less because downhill)

2 days 1 night

Departure Castérino

Day 1
Castérino – Valmasque refuge: approx. 4h walk
1 night at the Valmasque refuge.

Day 2
Refuge de la Valmasque – refuge de Fontanalba: 4h walk
Guided tour (loop): from the Fontanalba refuge, to see the engravings, to be booked in advance (1:30pm).
Refuge de Fontanalba – Castérino: approx. 1h30

3 days 2 nights

Departure Castérino

Day 1
Castérino – Valmasque refuge: approx. 4h walk
1 night at the Valmasque refuge.
Day 2
refuge de la Valmasque – refuge de Fontanalba: 4h walk
1 night at Fontanalba refuge
Day 3
Guided tour (loop): from the Fontanalba refuge, to see the engravings, to be booked in advance (8h)
Refuge de Fontanalba – La Minière via Baisse de Vallaurette
Lac des Mesches – Castérino by Zest line 23 shuttle bus ( around 4pm)

3 days 2 nights

Departure from Lac des Mesches

Day 1
Lac des Mesches – Refuge des Merveilles: 3-hour hike
1 night at Refuge des Merveilles
2nd day
Guided tour of the engravings (loop): allow half a day and book in advance (departure 8am)
1 night at Refuge des Merveilles
Day 3
Refuge des Merveilles – Lac des Mesches: 3h (or less because downhill)

Vallee De La Valmasque Parc National Du Mercantour Cascade Pango Visual

Sleep

in the Vallée des Merveilles

There are 3 mountain refuges in these areas:

The Merveilles refuge in the Vallée des Merveilles
The Fontanalbe refuge in the Fontanalbe Valley
Le refuge de Valmasque in the Valmasque Valley.

You can also sleep in the Castérino inns or in the Neige et Merveilles gîte, taking into account the time required for each route.

You can also include a visit to these sites as part of a longer hike in the Mercantour. The GR 52 runs through the Vallée des Merveilles.

lac-refuge-des-merveilles-parc-du-mercantour-drone-de-regard.jpg

Refuge of ValmasqueREFUGETende

Refuge des MerveillesREFUGETende

Hiking trails :

Fontanalbe CircuitSPORT

In the heart of the Mercantour National Park, this easy hike follows wide military trails to one of two rock engraving sites.

Tende

Hiking in the Vallée des MerveillesSPORT

Departure from Lac des Mesches. Route through the Vallon de la Minière, in the undergrowth, then mineral and austere landscape in the mystical Vallée des Merveilles, with its...

Tende

Access

There are no paved roads leading to the Vallée des Merveilles. You’ll need to plan several days’ hiking in the Parc du Mercantour to be able to admire the engravings.

From Tende or Saint-Dalmas de Tende, drive to the hotels in the hamlet of Castérino, or to the gîte d’étape Neige et Merveilles (40 min walk). From here, it’s several hours’ hike to the refuges.
From Authion (Vallée de la Bévéra), it’s a one-day hike to the Refuge des Merveilles.

Roya access
The Roya Valley and its villages are waiting for you! Road and rail access has been improved. Only the Col de Tende tunnel is currently closed.
Access to the Roya Valley