Rent a vehicle and joyfully explore Val Roia.
In the heart of the Mercantour National Park, the Val Roia is distinguished by its unique fauna and flora on both the French and Italian sides. In just a few minutes, you can go from typical Mediterranean olive groves to mountain pine forests. A remarkable diversity of fauna and flora reigns in this landscape marked by glacial and karstic erosion and where the imprint of man is present everywhere. In a vast glacial cirque dotted with lakes, some 40,000 rock engravings dating back to 3000 B.C. stretch out on sandstones in ochre and rust tones: this is the Vallée des Merveilles. In this mineral landscape, dominated by the 2872 metres of the enigmatic Mount Bego, these engravings arouse mystery and admiration. To discover the Val Roia, hire a vehicle and you can visit three of its most picturesque villages in an unhurried and relaxed manner: Tenda, Saorge and Breil.
Tenda is a rich natural and cultural heritage
A trading town on the salt route, Tenda was the seat of a powerful guild of muleteers. From this period came a rich religious heritage; the collegiate church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, in Gothic style (late 15th century), contains organs by the organ builder Serassi (1807). In addition to the fortifications that crown the ridge line on the border with Italy, the territory of Tenda includes the hamlet of Casterino, the ‘gateway’ to the Mercantour National Park. Almost a third of this commune, the largest in the Alpes-Maritimes, isincluded in the park, which confirms its archaeological richness, with the Vallée des Merveilles, as well as the natural and scenic wealth of its territory.
Saorge, the kingdom of baroque art
A stop on the via ducale or salt route connecting Nice to Cuneo, Saorge winds in an amphitheatre above the Roya. The tall 15th- and 17th-century houses display beautiful Ligurian architecture. The glazed tiled bell towers of many religious buildings, including several Penitents’ chapels, emerge from the maze of dark alleyways. The church of Saint-Sauveur (15th century) contains rich furnishings. The N.D. del Poggio chapel is accompanied by an exceptional six-storey Lombard Romanesque bell tower; inside, frescoes attributed to G. Baleison. The Saorge Monastery, a former Franciscan convent of Baroque architecture, and its terraced garden date back to the 17th century. They are open to visitors from February to October through the Centre des Monuments Nationaux. The monastery offers many high-quality cultural events and entertainment. It also houses a writing residence for professional writers and artists.
Breil-sur-Roya, the kingdom of the olive tree
A stop on the ancient salt route that connected Piedmont to the Mediterranean, Breil is nestled in the heart of a fertile olive grove. Planted on artificial terraces, some 26,000 olive trees give the village a Mediterranean feel. A wealth of yesterday and today, since half of the production, is pressed, while the other provides the ‘olives of Nice’. With its ochre and pink façades, its trompe-l’oeil decorations, and the enamelled majolica of its bell towers, Breil is a jewel of Ligurian architecture; Baroque art is no less impressive with the spectacular church of Santa-Maria-in-Albis.
