Advice and best practice
Environmental protection
In the mountains, conditions are constantly changing and unexpected events can’t always be anticipated, so it’s important to remain vigilant throughout your hike.
Before you leave:
- Identify the route and check trail access conditions;
- Find out about the weather conditions;
- Find out about the regulations, particularly if you are going into the heart of the Mercantour National Park;
- Book an overnight stay in a refuge or gîte if necessary.
During your hike:
- Follow the trail signs: yellow for the shorter hiking trails, white and red for the GR trails, and the green hexagons mark the boundaries of the heart of the Mercantour National Park. If in doubt, refer to your map;
- Stay on the marked trails for your own safety and to preserve biodiversity;
- Don’t leave rubbish behind.
A few points to bear in mind:
- Some areas and their car parks can quickly become saturated;
- Hikers on the GR and the Grande Traversée du Mercantour (GTM) have priority at restaurants and refuges;
- Some routes may be closed or rerouted;
- Some areas may be shared with shepherds and their patous (herding dogs), so keep your distance and avoid the herds.
Trail signs
Marking is set up on footpaths to make them easier and safer to hike. The markings put in place by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée are increasingly precise and standardised, governed by an official charter that advocates the use of environmentally-friendly materials.
The different types of signs:
- Two horizontal rectangles (one in the case of PR): you are in the right direction.
- An arrow pointing right or left, topped by two horizontal rectangles (one for PR trails): change of direction. The arrow at the bottom indicates the direction of travel.
- Two cross-shaped rectangles: wrong direction. Do not take this path.
These signs are the same whatever the category of path, which is symbolised by the colours used:
- White and red: the GR®, long-distance footpaths that can be walked for one or more weeks in a line or in a loop.
- Yellow and red: the GR® de Pays, local long-distance walking routes, which remain within a geographical entity in terms of nature and heritage.
- Yellow: the PR, day walks and hikes.
Regulations
The Mercantour National Park is a protected area with a charter that applies to all hikers to ensure the protection of its heritage. As a walker, you should be aware of the main regulations.
It is forbidden to:
- Camp and build fires;
- Leave the marked trails;
- Take your dog with you;
- Drop, abandon or throw rubbish;
- Catch, pick or gather;
- Use motor vehicles;
- Practice leisure activities and sports such as canyoning, diving or sailing.
The practice of these activities is subject to regulations:
- Bivouacs: authorised from 7pm to 9am;
- Fishing, in accordance with departmental regulations;
- Cycling, in accordance with regulations;
- Horse riding.
Hiking with your dog
Dogs are prohibited in the heart of the Mercantour National Park, even if they are leashed or carried.
However, the regulations provide for an exception to this ban and authorise the presence of :
- dogs guiding blind people or assisting disabled people;
- dogs belonging to residents of hamlets accessible by a vehicular route, if they are kept tethered or penned in the immediate surroundings of the buildings.
To find out more and understand why dogs are banned from the heart of the Park, even on a leash, click here.
