Mont Grazian, Mountain summit in Alpes-Maritimes, France

Mont Grazian rises to 863 meters and sits between the Sospel and Roya valleys in the Maritime Alps. Its slopes support thick deciduous forests mixed with scattered pine stands that change with elevation.

Until 1947 Mont Grazian stood on the border between Italy and France. The Paris Peace Treaties of that year moved the whole mountain into French territory, so the summit and its slopes passed from one state to the other. The line ran between the Roya and Bevera valleys, close to the present Italian frontier.

The mountain's name appears in both Italian (Monte Grazian) and French (Mont Grazian), a reminder that until 1947 the summit lay on the border between the two countries. Walkers today cross the same ground from Olivetta San Michele in Italy or from Sospel and Breil-sur-Roya in France.

A circular hiking route starts at Pont de Caï and climbs about 600 meters while passing through the hamlet of Piène Haute on a path that spans roughly 15 kilometers. Sturdy footwear and several hours of daylight are necessary for this walk.

One section of the path is carved directly into rock above the Bévéra gorges and passes through an area with over 30 plant species adapted to rocky slopes. Holm oak and hop hornbeam are among the trees that thrive in this exposed location.