Discover the Alpes Maritimes

Discover the Alpes Maritimes!

The Sun Alps

The Alpes Maritimes are the Alps of the sun. There are many treasures to discover in the Alpes Maritimes.

When you're in Nice, Cannes or Menton, on one of Europe's most beautiful Rivieras, you may not realize that behind the hills lies a world of green or snow-capped mountains, depending on the season, that's no match for other Alpine regions. From the port of Antibes, or the Var plain in Nice, you can see the glittering snow-capped peaks in winter, proof that there's something going on up there.

As you head up the Tinée Valley from Nice, you'll come across the main mountain sites: Isola 2000 and Auron.

Isola 2000 and Auron

The two rather modern mountain resorts were built high above the Tinée valley.

At Isola 2000 you'll enjoy beautiful snow-covered slopes just 1h30 from Nice. An efficient and welcoming ski resort, where your winter sports-oriented stay is sure to be a success. Snow falls in abundance in this border region, and stays for a very long time during the season, thanks to the altitude: the center of the resort is at almost 2000m, as its name suggests. In summer, you can cross the Lombarde pass to visit Europe's highest pilgrimage site at over 2000m, the Sanctuary of Saint Anne in Vinadio, in the Piedmont.

Auron is a resort with a difference. From the moment you arrive, you can admire the magnificent scenery before you: set on a balcony above Saint Etienne de Tinée, the resort of Auron lets your imagination soar above the Mercantour peaks. Its architecture is more harmonious than that of Isola 2000, with large chalets and small secondary houses on the plateau, making your strolls more inviting. As soon as you leave the resort and climb the slopes of Las Donnas, you breathe in the air purified by the ever-present forest. The forest is also where you'll be skiing in the lower part of the resort in winter. A true four-season resort, Auron surprises all visitors with its profound mountain spirit so close to the Mediterranean Sea.

Discovering the mountains of the Alpes Maritimes

As you move down the Tinée valley towards the Col de la Bonette, which takes you into the Ubayeyou'll discover Saint Dalmas le Selvage, a small village that's sure to please. That's all we need to say to let you be surprised by this very remote site.

Further south, accessible via Beuil les Launes, Valberg is also a small, historic resort in the Alpes Maritimes. Situated on a mountain pass, you come here in summer to cool off and in winter to spend a day skiing under the Mediterranean sun.

The award for most southerly mountain resort in the French Alps goes to Gréolières. From the summit of Le Cheiron in the Préalpes d'Azur, you can marvel at the scenery of the Côte d'Azur, just 20 km as the crow flies from the sea! From here, you can see Saint Tropez! In good years, you can ski on the last snow in April in the morning and take a dip in the Mediterranean in the afternoon!

In fact, it's an experience you can also try from Isola 2000 or Auron, as in less than two hours you go from the snow-covered peaks to the beach! So why not give it a try?

If, on the other hand, you prefer the mountains in summer, the wild spaces of the Mercantour National Park offer hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails between forests and panoramic ridges.

Hiking in the Mercantour National Park

The Park is a jewel box of nature, where high-altitude lakes such as Lac d'Allos, Europe's largest natural high-altitude lake, offer breathtaking scenery. The rock engravings of the Vallée des Merveilles bear witness to thousands of years of human history, while the majestic peaks invite you to enjoy unforgettable hikes. Each of the unspoilt valleys, such as the Ubaye, Roya, Tinée and Vésubie, and the high valleys of the Var and Cians, offers a unique experience, from the discovery of exceptional flora and fauna to the exploration of picturesque villages nestled in the mountains. From a natural point of view, you can marvel at the biogeographical diversity of this protected area, between Mediterranean and Alpine influences, at your own pace. And for the more adventurous, the same thickly snow-covered landscapes are accessible in winter by ski touring or snowshoeing.

Discover the Alpes Maritimes with the following articles from the AlpAddict blog!

Discover the Alpes Maritimes on video

The best webcams in your destination

(click on the village name)

• Isola 2000 Isola 2000: several webcams on this page showing the resort, the ski area and the surrounding mountains.
• AuronAuron: a series of webcams focused on the resort and its mountains.
• ValbergValberg: a webcam to monitor snow conditions
• Gréolières des NeigesLive from the resort!

Activities not to be missed in the Alpes Maritimes

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