Alps to Med Trail . This independent walking holiday in France follows an extraordinary trail from the alpine mountains of the Mercantour National Park to the elegant Mediterranean town of Menton.
Accommodation & Meals
7 nights in 2 & 3 star hotels and guest houses in double/twin en-suite rooms. A mix of styles of hotels, auberges and guest houses. Evening meals in hotels serving tasty local cuisine.
When to Travel
Our self-guided walking holiday Alps to Med trail is available from March to June inclusive and in September and October. We do not run this holiday in the height of the summer due to the high temperatures and the difficulty in securing suitable accommodation. Even as early as April the hills are awash with wildflowers. Because much of the vegetation is evergreen on the lower slopes, the landscape remains relatively colourful the whole year round. Ideal walking temperatures are experienced up to mid-June, after which it can become very warm for the last few days of the holiday. Your first couple of days walking takes you to moderate altitudes where it may be cool, especially in the case of poor weather, during April and late October. Evening temperatures will be fresher during the first few days.
Daytime temperatures along the length of the walk should on average reach into the low to mid-twenties during the day. They could however climb into the low thirties during late June or early September or descend to single figures outside of these periods. Average daytime temperatures on the coast are for example about 21°C in mid-May and October and 26°C in mid-June and September. Temperatures at high altitudes will be much lower than these averages whilst inland at low altitudes they could be higher. You will therefore need to be prepared for both cool and warm conditions. The whole region is very sunny compared to the rest of France. Rainfall and low clouds are rarer than in the northern Alps, however, storms are fairly common in the mountains during late summer and autumn, especially late afternoon so please leave early and always check the weather forecast
Navigation, Walking Notes & Maps
Much of this walking holiday follows GR (Grande Randonnee) long-distance trails which are well, way-marked with red and white markings. There are also several signposts along the trail. The walking follows clear paths for its entire duration. Some sections follow local trails waymarked in yellow. Our walking notes are very detailed (more information here) and include some photos and plans to help orientation at junctions. The walking notes also include information about the sites that can be explored along the route. We supply one walking guide per person on this holiday. As well as the detailed walking notes we supply official walking maps produced by IGN at a scale of 1:25,000. Your trail is highlighted on the maps.
Luggage Transfers
On this walking holiday, your main luggage is transferred between guest houses so you only have to carry a day rucksack with picnic lunch (supplied by the guest houses and included in the holiday price), water and spare clothes, waterproofs, camera etc. On this holiday local taxi companies and the accommodation are responsible for transporting your main luggage. Please limit the weight of your bags where possible to 15kg. Some of the hotels and small guest houses are in historic buildings and some of the rooms are accessible by stairs.
Travel Info
Train:
Eurostar, TGV and TER French trains allow access to St-Dalmas-de-Tende. Your first hotel is a five minute walk from the train station.
From the UK, changes between the Eurostar and TGV are at Lille or Paris. TGV’s run from Paris to Nice direct or via Lyon or Toulon. Change at Nice to take the line Nice-Cuneo and descend at St-Dalmas-de-Tende.
Flight Options
There are flights from French and UK airports to Nice Cote d’Azur airport. Operators from UK airports include Flybe, Easyjet and British Airways. Aéroport International Nice-Côte d’Azur is located 7km from the city centre. A taxi service runs from the airport to the city centre and takes approximately 20 minutes. Alternatively you can take a 10-15 minute bus journey from the airport to the town centre which runs every 30 minutes. The SNCF station is close to the town centre. The main car hire firms are present at Nice Airport.
Note: Please check concerning the availability of a holiday before booking any flights. If you need further information or would like to discuss any aspect of your travel arrangements, please contact us, we’re here to help you.
Self Drive from UK
Channel ferry crossings from Dover are provided by several operators including P&O Ferries & DFDS seaways. Crossings are also provided by train with Eurotunnel.
Once in France, the journey from Calais to Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende takes about 12-13 hours (excluding long breaks). There is a car park at your hotel. From Nice take the motorway towards Vintimille, then the RN204, Vallée de la Roya, direction Col de Tende. On the way you’ll pass through Breil-sur-Roya, Fontan before reaching Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende. Your car can be left here during the holiday – non-secured. Train back from Nice using the Nice – Cuneo line.
Extra Nights
Extra nights are possible at any of the stopovers including the final night in Menton.
City Breaks
Nice: The walking holiday finishes in Menton which is a short train journey from the city of Nice. We can book additional nights in Nice to explore this historic city and enjoy the famous seafront. We use 3 or 4 star hotels. It is also a good base to explore other other resorts on the Cote d’Azur such as Villefranche sur Mer.
Please consult us for a price on any of the above options.
Changing or Tailor-made holidays
If you wish you can combine this walking holiday to the Roya to Menton along the GR52 one, traversing the Vallée des Merveilles.
Tailor-made trips
If you want to learn more about the region’s culture through tailor-made activities and visits, check out those trips that include a few days in the Riviera. Contact us to add them to your hike.
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