Mercantour National Park, Nice Region
Discover nature just an hour north of Nice
The Mercantour National Park is composed of six valleys, with peaks reaching over 3000 metres, glacial lakes, plenty of wild animals and flora unique to Europe.
Home to chamois, ibex and mouflons in the mountains, red deer, roe deer and wild boars in the forests, and black grouse, golden eagle and the bearded vulture. There are around 30 wolves in the park. In the valleys you will find gorges and waterfalls, grassy plains and dales.
There are some remains of historical human habitation, and villages are also dotted throughout the Park. The Lac d'Allos is a highlight - a beautiful blue glacial lake that is Europe's largest natural high altitude lake at 2226 metres.
There are plenty of trails to explore, both in summer and winter. Several ski resorts are open during the winter. Other activities include mountain biking, rock climbing, horse riding and whitewater sports. There are information points in Tende, St Martine Vesubie & Valberg (open year round), and other tourist information points open seasonally.
