{"id":9687,"date":"2017-02-04T22:06:06","date_gmt":"2017-02-04T22:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activeazur.com\/?page_id=9687"},"modified":"2017-12-19T13:19:39","modified_gmt":"2017-12-19T13:19:39","slug":"mercantour-national-park","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefrance.com\/holidays\/provence-alpes-cote-dazur\/mercantour-national-park","title":{"rendered":"Mercantour National Park – An Active Holiday Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mercantour<\/p>\n

Activity Holidays in the Mercantour National Park<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

The spectacular Mercantour National Park is a haven for thrill seekers and nature lovers alike. Hike the 1700 km of trails, bike through deep forested valleys, get the adrenalin pumping with some whitewater rafting, or explore remote high altitude terrain on a ski touring trip.<\/p>\n

The valleys of Roya, Bevera, Vesubie, Tinee, Haut Var, Cians, Verdon and Ubaye fill the central uninhabited zone and are surrounded by around 28 Provencal villages. These dwellings ooze with architectural gold with churches decorated by primitive Nicois painters and charming rustic cottages.<\/p>\n

Discover 3,000 year old rock carvings after a 10 km hike to the Vall\u00e9e des Merveilles. Walk along lower meadows and woodland while spotting tremendous amounts of wildlife including; stags, roebucks, hares, wild boars, eagles, partridges and maybe even a wolf. If you\u2019re feeling like a challenge, take on one of the parks many imposing peaks, with the Brec du Chambeyron being one of the tallest at 3000 metres.<\/p>\n

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Mercantour National Park Map<\/h2>\n

Stretching for 90 km along the Italian border from Barcelonnette to the C\u00f4te d’Azur, the Mercantour National Park is nature on steroids, with 3000 m peaks, ferocious valleys, raging whitewater torrents, and abundant flora and fauna including ibex and wolves. The dark green area in the map represents the heart of the National Park and the light green zone is the boundary of the protected area.<\/p>\n

\n\"Mercantour<\/a>
\nMercantour National Park Map (View Printable Version<\/a>) | \u00a9 Parc National du Mercantour<\/em><\/p>\n

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Getting to the Mercantour National Park<\/h3>\n

The majority of visitors travel to the park from Nice either by car, bus or train. Day trips are possible due to it taking just over an hour by car, around 2.5 hours by bus and 90 minutes by train. The train journey takes you to Tende, where you can access the Valley of Marvels. The journey in itself will be an adventure, taking you through dramatic mountains, isolated hilltops, pretty villages, river valleys and steep cliff faces.<\/p>\n

Driving will be a hair-raising experience but definitely worth it. There will be plenty of picture worthy pit-stops to drink in the sublime views and breathe in that fresh mountain air. If you plan to stay overnight, it\u2019s recommended to book ahead due to the popularity of the Mercantour National Park year round.<\/p>\n

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Organise Your Active Holiday to the Mercantour National Park<\/h2>\n

We’ve teamed up with the best active holiday companies to help you organise an unforgettable trip to the Mercantour:<\/p>\n