Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R146
Refuge de Nice » Refuge de Valmasque
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3h00 |
7.9 km
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446 m
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449 m
This high-altitude stage leaving from the Nice hut is characterised by the proximity of a multitude of lakes. For instance, still on the GR® 52, it crosses the Basto lake, Noir lake (Black Lake) and Vert lake (Green Lake) in the Mercantour national park, overlooked by Mount Bego, guardian of the Merveilles valley, before reaching the Valmasque hut, the stage destination.
Go left to circumvent the fortified hill overlooking the hut to the east and follow the red and white markings. Head back up along the right bank of the stream that descends from the little Fous valley to reach the Clos de Roquebillière (2,253m), a meadow covered in thistles. Next, climb southward through the little Niré valley to reach the Niré lake (2,353m). You will walk past four other lakes in a row. At the last lake, it is possible to make out the Basto pass to the south east: it is the pass the furthest to the right. After passing three couloirs, two carpeted in rock and the other in grass, the trail arrives at the Basto pass (2,693m). Descend to the south east, and at 2,550m leave a little lake to your left to pass below the southern Basto peak and continue the descent to pass close to Basto lake. Take the trail that heads towards the lake marked in green and yellow. Walk alongside Basto lake, the Lac Noir (Black Lake) and finally the Lac Vert (Green Lake), at the end of which the Valmasque is situated.
(Paul Guglielmi, CDRP 06)
Natural and cultural heritage
Straddling the communities of St Martin-Vésubie and Tende, the trail continues at the foot of the border zone massif, which not only holds a coastal reservoir, but is also home to numerous myths and legends. The Tende community has 120km of streams and 24 lakes hollowed out by former glaciers, which due to erosion are gradually being filled in. The Mercantour National Park preserves and studies this high-altitude environment, a habitat rich in wildlife (ibexes, mouflon sheep, wolves, marmots, royal eagles or the impressive bearded vulture with a wingspan of 2m 80, reintroduced to this region in 1993). The route to the Basto baisse (the term baisse is used to describe wide passages through which men and animals can pass) overhangs the three lakes of the Valmasque valley, which draws its name from the Piedmontese Val des mascos = valley of the witches’ masks. The shape of this place inspired tenacious beliefs and fears in the minds of people long ago, partly due to the profusion of overhangs, sudden granite rocks and shelters hollowed out in the rock (called “barm”) in strange shapes. The Revelli, the witch of Tende, was in fact perhaps exiled to this area by the Count of Tende… Since modern days, the levels of the three natural lakes have now been raised by dams in order to boost the discharge flow of water to generate EDF electricity. From the Basto lake, which is the most impressive, it is possible to admire the Bégo mountain, the legendary lord of the area. Taken from the Greek bekkos, protecting gods, this sacred mountain was for a long time dedicated to the protohistoric cult of the divine couple: the god Taurus, the power of thunder and fertilising rain, and goddess Earth, symbol of the earth that must be sown by a gift from the skies. Primitive, pre-Roman people came here to worship them in order to gain protection from the gods’ most frightening and inexplicable “weapon”: thunder. It is, moreover, at the foot of Bégo mountain that prehistoric civilisations recorded their veneration in engravings. The famous Valley of Marvels (“vallée des Merveilles”) boasts a concentration of over 40,000 rock carvings and is listed as an historical monument for its exceptional appearance and extreme fragility. (Sara Zeidler, Gilles Chappaz, Grande Traversée des Alpes)
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Valmasque will be the last 2000m+ hut, and this one is also isolated. Goods brought up by mules. Compact multistory high bunks. For the toilets go out of the house on the back.
Berta - 2018-08-25
Refugio Valmasque ist ein schöner Platz, tolle Lage am See mit herrlicher Terasse, viele Gemsen rundherum. Sehr freundliches und hilfsbereites Personal, gutes Essen. Da wir nicht reserviert hatten und die Hütte sehr voll war, bekamen wir als Notlagen Matratzen im Esszimmer, es war sehr bequem und wir haben super gut geschlafen
Automatic translation
[Google]
Refugio Valmasque is a beautiful place, great location on the lake with a beautiful terrace, lots of chamois all around. Very friendly and helpful staff, good food. Since we had not reserved and the cabin was very crowded, we were given emergency mattresses in the dining room, it was very comfortable and we slept great
Elisabeth - 2016-11-10
Il faut 4h30 et non 3h : la descente depuis la baisse du Basto est pénible parmi les chaos et lorsqu'on arrive au X GR52, le panneau indique 1h30 pour le refuge de Valmasque et non 0h45 !
Automatic translation
[Google]
It takes 4h30 and not 3h: the descent from the decline of the Basto is painful among the chaos and when you arrive at X GR52, the sign indicates 1:30 for the refuge of Valmasque and not 0h45!
Nach Auskunft des CAF de Nice-Mercantour wird das Refuge de Nice, das seit 2006 wegen Totalrenovierung geschlossen blieb, am 15. Juli 2009 wieder geöffnet.
Automatic translation
[Google]
According to the CAF de Nice-Mercantour is the Refuge de Nice, which remained closed since 2006 because of total renovation, on 15 July 2009 reopened.
|
3h00 |
7.9 km
|
446 m
|
449 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.