Located in the Mercantour National Park, the Valley of Wonders (Vallée des Merveilles) is fittingly named. It contains some of the 40,000 cave etchings that are found in the region, and particularly in the neighbouring valley of Fontanalbe. At this open-air museum, you can admire cave etchings from the Copper and Early Bronze Ages, draping the rock with their still bright colours.
Clad in your sturdiest hiking boots, you can explore this ancient glacial valley, where the sky seems to have cut into the austere and jagged rock. As a scenic backdrop, the snowy peaks and mountain lakes complete the beauty of this unspoilt landscape where the forest scents the air with its fragrant plants. During your excursion, keep your eyes open in order to spot the traces of heritage from thousands of years ago: on some of the rocks, you can make out corniform shapes reminiscent of a cow's horns, reticulated patterns resembling a net, or the blade of a halberd conjuring up images of prehistoric scenes. Other striking symbols from that age adorn the rocks, in particular ancient deities like the bull god raising its arms skywards. If you look closely, you might see the mountain animals: the main residents, chamois, are never far away! In the background is Mount Bégo, towering over the valley at 2,872 metres in altitude. Its ebony colour is due to the presence of iron ore.
Good to know: hikers are not allowed to go off the beaten track, in order to preserve the region's heritage. To access the whole area, you will need to be accompanied by a mountain guide.
