Less than two hours from the French Riviera, you can discover the incredible Mercantour Park. This park is a real jewel of the region. Its landscapes range from forests to high-altitude lakes with incredible reflections. If you’re looking to get away from it all without necessarily embarking on a difficult expedition, here are five accessible hikes that will help you discover the magic of the Mercantour.
1. Trécolpas Lake
This is undoubtedly the most emblematic hike and one of the easiest to access in the Mercantour Park. From the Boréon car park, it takes around 2 hours to walk to the lake. The path winds through a beautiful forest before opening out onto alpine meadows. On arrival, the view is breathtaking: a lake nestling at an altitude of 2,150 m, dominated by the summit of Agnellière. Perfect for a picnic or just a moment of contemplation by the water. What I like about this hike is that it’s very gradual, climbing gently rather than abruptly like the hikes mentioned below.
2. The Prals lakes
Starting from the Madonna de Fenestre, this hike leads to a cirque with five small lakes. You can stop at the first one for a short version (3-hour round trip), or do the whole loop in 5 hours. The scenery is Alpine, dotted with wildflowers in summer and often alive with marmots. The place exudes a special serenity, ideal if you want to walk without being in a hurry and enjoy the silence of the mountains. The first part of the hike is undoubtedly the most difficult, as the ascent is steep and there is no time for respite. The second part is quieter, with views over long plains.
3. Lake Millefonts
Situated above Valdeblore, the Lac des Millefonts is one of my favourites. It’s easily accessible. An hour’s walk from the car park takes you to this lake surrounded by pastures. I was lucky enough to come across a donkey several times :). The path is gentle, perfect for a family outing or a leisurely half-day. The atmosphere is bucolic: cows often graze in the pastures, and the reflection of the peaks in the lake creates a picture-postcard setting. The higher you climb, the more new lakes you discover. But the first is undoubtedly the most beautiful. Once you reach the highest point at 2,500m2, Nature opens up to you, and I shed a tear every time I look at such beauty. In short, the Lac des Millefonts is a simple hike, but with a real taste of escape.
4. The Gordolasque valley
Less well known than the other valleys, the Gordolasque, accessible from Belvédère, is a haven of unspoilt nature. The path runs alongside the torrent and climbs gradually towards the Lac de la Fous or the Refuge de Nice. The route is a little longer (4 to 5 hours round trip), but the difference in altitude remains reasonable. Here, everything is life-size: waterfalls, cliffs, torrents, impressive silence. This is the hike to go for if you want to feel the raw power of the mountains. This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult of the 4 hikes in this article, and the gradient is quite steep to reach the Nice refuge, so be sure to pack your trainers and hiking poles!
In conclusion
These five walks show the diversity of the Mercantour Park: lakes accessible to the whole family, magnificent panoramas and wild valleys. You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy them: a good pair of shoes, water, a picnic and the desire to walk are all you need for an intense experience. The Mercantour is an ideal playground for escaping for a day, taking a deep breath and reconnecting with what’s essential.
