How to Hike the Alpine Traverse:
GR5 and GR52 recommendations,
and author's special routes,
Tinée to Mediterranean
By David May
Copyright 2004 - 2007, All rights Reserved
From The Tinée Valley to the MediterraneanTo recapitulate, depending upon the routes you have taken, you will be either in the town of St.-Etienne-de-Tinée on the GR5. Or, you will have crossed the frontier to a refuge in Italy, and crossed back to the perched ski village of Isola 2000 on my special routing. I will explain shortly why I like my special routing, but first let us discuss the official route.. Comparison of the GR5 to Nice vis-à-vis the GR52 to MentonBecause it is the end of "The GR5", and because it takes a couple of days less, many walkers will be tempted to end their journey at Nice.: Enough of this hardship on the trail!!!, they may say. Lac du Basto, Valley of Marvels on the GR52
Second, the last day's descent from the mountains to the Mediterranean Menton is literally "unforgetable". At a distance of 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) from the Mediterranean your elevation still is 1,132 meters (3,600 feet). The drop from there is steep and gorgeous, with long views up the Mediterranean coast to Monte Carlo and beyond. Views are constant. At lower elevations you pass through attractive countryside, then lovely villas with subtropical vegetation, and finally you come down the last few steps—to a beautiful sand beach. Do be aware, however, that you may not encounter other hikers on the trail from the Marvels Valley to Sospel, and the next day on to the Mediterranean, even in mid-summer; solo hikers should think carefully before undertaking this part of the GR52. By contrast, the descent to Nice, which the author has also made, is very gradual. Views are limited. You reach sea level before you reach the Mediterranean, so you finish by a long and somewhat boring walk through mundane sections of the city. To summarize, the last day of your GR5 trip is pleasant, but not memorable. Both Nice and Menton are on the main Riviera train line. Nice also has an international airport. The GR5 from Bousiéyas to NiceBousiéyas to Saint-Dalmas-ValdebloreLodgings are infrequent in the Alps Maritimes, so you have only a few choices: After the 7 hour, highly vertical day from Larche to Bousiéyas—discussed on a previous page—it would be desirable to have a light day and to stay in an urban setting for a change, so you might wish to select a 3 hour day to the pleasant old town of St.-Etienne-de-Tinée, rather than a 5 hours'walk to the ski resort of Auron. Furthermore, if you stay in St. Etienne, then it is another short day of about 4 1/2 hours to the Gîte d'étape at Roya, followed by a 7 1/2 hour day to the fine Gîte d'etape at Longon (which used to be the ínsalubrious, uncomfortable lodgings called the Vacherie de Roure) . This is easily manageable. If you stay in Auron, you will probably want skip Roya and walk a 9 1/2 hour day to the Gîte d'etape de Longon, which does save a day, but is overly strenuous. Aspremont Village, a 3 hours' walk from the coast at Nice.
The GR5 from Saint-Dalmas-Valdeblore to NiceYour final nights on the GR5, are spent in the charming tiny hill town of Utelle, an 8 hours' walk; and then in Aspremont, another 7 hours' walk (though you could stop in the less charming Levans, after 5 hours. A final short day of 3 hours from Aspremont or 5 hours from Levans takes you to the Mediterranean coast in downtown Nice. The official routing for the GR52 from Saint-Dalmas-Valdeblore to Boréon:From Saint-Dalmas-Valdeblore, where the GR52 splits from the GR5, it is—according to the FFRP topoguide— a 7 hour 20 minute walk to the next town with lodging, Boréon—a lovely little resort on a lake with hotels, restaurants and a gite d'étape. It will most likely be your sixth day out of Larche. My Isola 2000 routing to GR52 at Boréon and its advantages over the official routeYou will have arrived at Isola 2000 by visiting Vens and perhaps Rabuons, and by traversing Italy, hopefully staying at the charming Refugio di St. Bernolfo. Your Isola 2000 evening will be your third or fourth from Larche. Easygoers can easily come to Isola 2000 by taxi (or bus?) from St. Etienne-de-Tinée. Isola 2000 is a ski area, and jarring in comparison to the recent wild valleys and rustic villages that you will have traversed. (The classical GR5 route traverses Auron, another modern ski area.) Isola 2000 has several hotels that are a bit expensive: Their phone numbers are listed on the Isola 2000 Site: http://www.isola2000.com. Click on Hébergements. You can probably rent a room in the village for a lower price. There used to be two refuges. At this writing the CAF refuge is closed, as is the other one. Don't confuse Isola 2,000 with Isola Village which is located at the bottom of the mountain off the road to Nice. Amidst larch trees between Isola 2000 and Boréon.
Thus, you have picked up a day or two , and experienced much more variety, excitement, and adventure as well, compared to walking the official routes! (Should you prefer, after Isola 2000, to continue your journey to Nice following the GR5 ( rather than the GR52 to Menton), head the other direction from the Col de Salése. From the map, I estimate that you could reach St. Dalmas-Valdeblore from Isola 2000 within 6 hours, maybe less if you bushwhack down the val de Taveli (along the ski route) to the Vacherie du Collet. Again, this would be your 4th or 5th night out of Larche, so perhaps you will have gained a day, and certainly you will have had some wonderful adventures. From Boreon to the Valée des Merveilles on the GR52From Boréon the lodgings are spaced as follows: Madone de Fenestre (guarded CAI refuge) 4 hours (an extra 1 1/2 hours by the Col de Fenestre variation); from Madone de Fenestre to the Refuge "Nice" 3 1/4 hours; from the Refuge "Nice" to the Refuge des Marveilles, 4 1/2 hours. It is your choice whether to take 3 days or only 2 days from Boréon to reach the Refuge des Mervilles. Consider combining the first two days into one, not staying in Madonne de Fenestre (but definitely visiting the church), and rather pushing on to the Refuge Nice. Definitely do get an early start, because this country is very hot and exposed at midday (and cold at night). Carry extra water. For the continuation from the Refuge des Marveilles to Sopel and the Mediterranean, see below. How to handle the 2,000 meter (6,600 foot) descent from the Valley Des Merveilles to SospelAn escape route, which my easygoing friends took, leads eastwards from the Refuge des Mervilles: A two-hour downhill walk leads to the train station at St. Dalmas-de-Tende. From there trains run to Sospel (and to Nice). If you bypass the descent, do by all means stay in Sospel and walk the final day to the Mediterranean at Menton. Sunrise, Hiker and Lake de la Muta, Valley of Marvels.
Watch your walking technique: Don't bang your legs down, and don't keep your knees straight. Use your quadriceps to cushion your steps. Tread as lightly as you can. (My hiking companion—who was stronger than I —ran down many slopes jumping from rock to rock. As a result, he couldn't walk the next day, and very sadly, his knees were never as good afterwards). By all means,use shock-absorbent innersoles, and use trekking poles to help cushion your steps. Pas du Diable (Pass of the Devil).
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I recommend, rather, that you take the GR52 variant to Menton. The are two good reasons: First, nowhere on the GR5 is there any terrain like the Vallée des Mervilles (Valley of Marvels)— a sort of moonlike, thunderbolt-struck area more desolate than anywhere else in France. (Unfortunately, most of the famous prehistoric rock art in the Vallée Des Merveilles has been defaced or washed away.)
Assuming
you take the easier choice, the next day, your fourth day from Bousiéyas
(and 5th from Larche), will bring you as far as St. Dalmas-Valdeblore.
GR 52 branches off here if you age going to
Menton.
From Isola 2000, you climb to the col de Merciére in 1 hour. Then a 1 1/2 hour stroll along an easy declining path takes you to the Col de Salèse, where you meet the GR52. From here, in only 1 hour 40 minutes, you arrive in Boréon ( 4 hour 20 minutes total ). And despite all of your wonderful adventures, it is only your 4th or 5th day out from Larche. 
Start
at the crack of dawn, so you won't spend too much time in the heat.
You will be walking roughly 35 kilometers (21 miles) over 8 1/2
hours. Carry extra water. This is a ridge walk, and there are
no water sources.
An
hour and 1/4 from the Refuge Des Mervilles lies the Pas du Diable
(Pass of the Devil) at 2,346 meters (about 7,700 feet). Sospel,
your destination, is at 350 meters. (1,100 feet)!!!
Otherwise,
just keep plugging away. It is a memorable day. The flora changes
as you drop in altitude and approach the Mediterranean. The walk
though long, is never boring.
As
the ground falls away, the views are never to be forgotten. You
can see up the coast to Cap-Martin, Monte-Carlo and beyond, as well
as down to Menton and the turquoise blue Mediterranean.