Behind the French Riviera, the Alps rise dramatically. Almost all tourists visit the tiny strip of land along the coast, but the backcountry is dotted with timeless villages that have escaped the glitz and glamour of the towns along the sea. The centuries-old paths lead from one village to the next, with jawdropping panoramas of mountains and Mediterranean Sea. You reach the town of Menton, one of the prettiest along the coastline, where you can stroll along the beaches and enjoy an ambiance only the Côte d'Azur can offer.
You arrive on your own by train in the village of La Brigue, nestled in the mountains near the Italian border, with its beautiful architecture and its centuries-old homes with colourful façades. The village traded its Italian flag for a French one in 1947 and much of this valley is bathed in a Franco-Italian fusion of language, food, and culture.
Meals included : dinner
Night : La Brigue
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This loop walk takes you high up the slope behind La Brigue before a leisurely descent on a forestry track to the impressive Notre Dame des Fontaines chapel. From the chapel you follow an interpretive forest path in the valley to return to La Brigue. 
A short taxi transfer takes you to the town of Breil sur Roya, lower in the valley, nestled between the mountains and the Roya River. From Breil, a path leads you along centuries-old terraces through the olive groves. You reach the tiny village of Piène Haute, seemingly lost on its rocky perch, with a year-round population of only 30 souls. From here you descend a valley adorned with ancient olive trees, and arrive smack on the border between France and Italy. Embark on a small detour to the quaint Italian village of Olivetta for lunch before walking above a spectacular gorge to Sospel.
A short transfer takes you to the Col de Castillon pass, where you are teased with views of the shining blue Med Sea. You follow a path under the shade of an ash forest and zigzag upward towards the watchtower of Mont Ours before the true panorama is laid out: the entire Riviera and even the island of Corsica in clear weather. The medieval town of Sainte Agnes sits perched like an eagle's nest between you and the sea. Sainte Agnès is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, its narrow cobbled streets built over the centuries with massive granite blocks. Only 3km from the sea as the crow flies, and perched at 800m in altitude, Sainte Agnès is listed as Europe's highest coastline village.
Starting from the perched village of Sainte Agnès, it is a steady climb over the Bausson pass. For 30 minutes you take a small mountain road with a panoramic view of the sea (this small road is not very busy with cars and is mostly used by cyclists). The summit of the Cime de Baudon offers an exceptional 360° view of the whole region and the surrounding mountain peaks: a very beautiful orientation table which allows you to see as far as the summit of the Sainte Beaume and the Alps.
