Mont Bégo

Mont Bégo is a mountain summit in the Maritime Alps at about 2,870 meters (9,400 feet) high, composed of conglomerate rock formations from an ancient geological period. It sits within the Mercantour massif and shapes the landscape with its distinctive rock features and steep terrain.

Archaeological research suggests that ancient Ligur tribes held this mountain sacred, with its name deriving from an Indo-European root meaning divine. This early spiritual connection has shaped how people have understood and valued this place throughout time.

The mountain sits within the Vallée des Merveilles, where thousands of prehistoric rock carvings show how ancient peoples used and valued this high mountain region. These engravings reveal what mattered most to the communities who lived in these Alps thousands of years ago.

Reaching the summit requires a challenging hiking trail with technical sections and some scrambling on exposed rock. The nearest mountain shelter at about 1,740 meters (5,710 feet) offers lodging for those planning a multi-day approach.

This peak holds one of the Alpine region's largest collections of prehistoric rock engravings, with thousands of images carved directly into stone by ancient hands. Such concentrated artistic expression and ritual marks remain extraordinarily rare elsewhere in the range.