Walks and Treks – The Maritime Alps

Walks and Treks – The Maritime Alps, Gillian Price, Cicerone, £16.95 ISBN: 978-1-85284-845-3

FROM the Mediterranean beach at Menton, the land rises rapidly to Ste Agnes, Europe’s highest coastal village at 800m, and then the Maritime Alps continue for another 190km with summits reaching 3,000m.For walkers, there are an estimated 600km of mapped and marked paths – including many ancient Alpine crossings used by Caesar and Charlemagne – and war historians will love the 130 fortifications covering passes between Italy and France.This little guide details two dozen of the best routes in what is spectacular mountain scenery just a couple of hours’ drive from Nice airport. Whether it is the breath-taking views or the wealth of wildflowers in the high meadows, this guide gives the lowdown.