Mont Carpano, Pointe de Nicioret: GR 51-52

View of the Riviera from Plan de Lion (716 m.)

A satisfying and major linear hike parallel to the France-Italy border between Menton and Vengtimiglia. A long, steep climb up from the beach at Menton-Garavan to the frontier pass at 772 m. altitude on Mont Carpano.

The path passes between the sub-tropical gardens of the villas of Garavan and Super-Garavan wth oranges on the trees; then under the coastal motorway, thorugh Mediterranean pines and between terraces previously cultivated with olives or vines.
It’s a pleasure to tick off the climate zones as I hike with their varying trees and flowers, birds and butterflies before reaching the south-facing plateaux just under the ridge. There to see plentiful Rosemary, Thyme and other Mediterranean herbs. Pleasant spring weather, this south-facing route will be too hot just a few weeks later in the year. Limestone all the way, this cliff is an uplift as the tectonic plates collide to form the Alps.
Developing panoramic view back to Menton, Monaco and along the French Riviera coast past Nice to Cannes. But not Corsica, still lost in the haze to the south.
Peeking over the ridge at the col, at Pointe de Nicioret (772 m.), I took my picnic of a big French Golden Delicious apple with Italian hazelnut chocolate from the frontier supermarket at Pont St Ludovic far below.
Views over the ridge of the snow on the Alpi Maritimi above Tende, including Pointe Marguarai (2650 m.) and partial views of the beach resorts along the Riviera dei Fiori (Riviera of Flowers) of Liguria.
Just a handful of other hikers on the route, hot and dusty having hiked up from Sospel, I overtook a couple hiking from Menton who recommended a restaurant in Castellar.
Descending slightly, the Plan de Lion looked to have been cultivated or grazed in former times, as well as being a lookout point.
The GR52 continues to Sospel, I took the GR51 branch down to the cliff-top village of Castellar (433 m.), clearly an ancient route, the careful stonework lining the path dating back maybe even to Roman times. The bus from Castellar was infrequent so I continued down the GR51 through wooded valleys to alight another bus in the industrial zone below Résédas.
Crab and Crevette salad on the balcony later on with Prosecco Superioere DOCG that I’d also toted back from the border supermarket just over the border at Pont St Ludovic.

A route I have wanted to do since we first visited Menton but the weather has always been unfavourable, so great to do it at last.

Autoroute A8, Nice-Savona