Mercantour National Park, National park in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes, France.
Mercantour National Park is a protected area in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes with more than 600 kilometers of marked trails winding through valleys, passes, and alpine meadows. The terrain rises from Mediterranean slopes covered with olive trees and lavender to summits with snowfields that persist through summer.
Italian kings used the area from 1859 as a hunting ground, protecting animals like ibex from extinction. The French state acquired the land in 1947 and established the park in 1979 to preserve mountain nature permanently.
The valleys carry names like Vésubie, Roya, and Tinée, reflecting centuries-old shepherd and trade routes that once linked the French interior with the coast. Hikers today follow these paths through villages with stone houses and encounter flocks of sheep moving to high pastures in summer.
Visitors should bring sturdy footwear and warm clothing, as weather can change quickly even in midsummer. Refuges along the routes offer overnight stays and help plan multi-day walks through remote areas.
Chamois climb here over steep rock walls at heights where other animals cannot survive, often visible in early morning or late evening light. Some summits lie less than 50 kilometers from the Mediterranean, so on clear days the sea is visible from mountain peaks.
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