Circular trek «Flânerie in Mercantour»
Far from it all spared from the extensive tourism : this area is still which tends to stay on the coast. As a result, our region is still exceptionally authentic and unspoilt, as we intend to keep it. With the red stones and blue skies, our mountains ofer a unique perspective in Europe.
On this tour donkeys are included on days 4 and 5, on other days it is possible to book a donkey for extra cost.
Easy trails clearly marked. Suitable for: families with young children, couples looking for a romantic getaway.
Accommodation: 4 nights in Ecolodge with en suite bathroom, 2 nights in Mongolian yurts (home comforts in the wilderness!)
Climate : due to the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea, the weather is warm and sunny, ideal for summer hiking.
The program can be modified according to the vagaries of the weather, in particular snow conditions at altitude.
You will have to take your personal car to get to the start of the activities planned outside Villeplane. There are no transfers available onsite to reach the start of these activities.
Destination: Mercantour National Park, France, Europe
Duration: 7 days
Departure: June 1 - July 15 & August 15 - September 25
Price: from 710,00 eur p.p. adults / 610,00 eur child
- the advice of a local English speaking guide
- accommodation (6 nights) at Ecolodge or mongol yurt
- FB treatment – breakfasts, picnic lunches, dinners
- your own personal donkey for days 4 and 5
- a road book an IGN map of the paths a leafy booklet on the valley,leaflet published by the Mercantour National Park.
- the costs of transportation for getting to Mercantour National Park
- optional activities on day 3 and day 6
- insurance
- anything not mentioned under “the price includes”
Itinerary
arrive in Villeplane in the afternoon
Welcome between 16.30 and 17.00 at the farm of Villeplane. Our local guide will welcome you and give you all tips and advices about your holiday taking into consideration the weather forecast and your physical abilities.
Overnight at the ecolodge of Villeplane.
Around Villeplane
| Km | Mt | Mt | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 300 | 300 | 2.5 |
Welcome at 8.30 at the farm of Villeplane. Our local guide will introduce you to your donkey.
This pretty half-day trek takes place in a peaceful atmosphere, far from the rest of the world. A very relaxed ascent of 300m, rounding off your week with a soft landing, whilst having the possibility of outlining the entire trek in front of you. You will also have the opportunity to picnic in the shade of the larch trees near the ‘col de Devens’, and to stop on the bank of the ‘riou’ (small brook).
Overnight at Ecolodge.
Free day for a leisure or a possibility to choose some activity
Our guides will help you choose your adventure according to the season and the weather – canyoning, water hiking, Via Ferrata…
For those who enjoy kayaking and canyoning, this is an ideal starting point, right above the famous Clue d’Amen.
For hikers, exceptionally clear signage gives you the opportunity to explore the upper valley, with only a 30 minute drive to the trailhead.
Overnight at Ecolodge.
the gorges of Daluis
| Km | Mt | Mt | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.5 | 680 | 880 | 6 |
This fairly long hike borrows an ancestral path connecting villages between them. It will impregnate you with the wilderness charm of our mountains and their 2500 meter sommets cutting through the blue of the sky punctuated by small hamlets perched with their walls made of dry stones, shaded forests and amusing halts in the pools of refreshing torrents.
This day renting a donkey is an option, included in the price of the stay.
Overnight at Ecolodge.
Hiking and swimming in the Cante natural swimming pools
| Km | Mt | Mt | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 300 | 300 | 2.5 |
This hike follows an ancestral path linking the villages together. It will imbue you with the wild charm of our mountains silhouetted at more than 2500 m against the blue sky, punctuated with small hamlets perched on dry stone walls, shady forests and delightful stops in refreshing torrents.
Overnight in a yurt in Villeplane.
free day
Our guides will help you choose your adventure according to the season and the weather or you can enjoy a day off.
Or St Honorat :
Great high-altitude hike to be reserved for good walkers and families wishing to experience an Alpine summit… However, it is possible to stop on the ridges where a grandiose panorama rewards a sustained climb. St Honorat is the characteristic peak of the valley, the first true summit in the South. Its ascent is a bit of a myth for the inhabitants of the valley because children do it with their parents from the age of 7. It’s a way of reaching the age of reason when you have completed St Honorat.
Accumulated Ascent : 1200 m – Accumulated Descent : 1200 m
Distance : 12 km – Continuous walking time : 6 hrs 30
Overnight in a yurt in Villeplane
The Allos Lake or Entrevaux
| Km | Mt | Mt | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 410 | 970 | 4 |
Morning departure by car (1hr drive) to go exploring the lakeside and drive up the valley. Your weeks trek rounds off in a climax with an enchanted tour around the glacial lakes of Allos, Garrets and la petite Cayolle. You will lose yourself on this journey through nature, where the blue sky is reflected in the clear waters of the lakes and the endemic flora strewn with alpine pastures.
Total Climb : 410 meters.Total downhill : 970 meters.
Distance : 10 km. Time : 4 hrs.
For those arriving by train or bus in Villeplane there is no possibility of going around the lakes (too far from Villeplane). We offer instead a visit to the very beautiful fortified village of Entrevaux and its citadel.
