Outdoor experiences

Heading for RivierALP

Outdoor experiences

“A healthy mind in a healthy body”, you know the motto. So it’s time for a bit of sport! And for your outdoor destination, we’ve got just the idea: welcome to RivierALP. Walking, cycling or other outdoor activities; for a day or a whole week of activities in the great outdoors, there’s going to be some sport. Ready to make our destination your new life-size playground?

A new adventure awaits you On foot, by bike, in the air or on white water: meet RivierALP

Do you love sport and outdoor activities? RivierALP is the perfect place to get your feet wet! More than just a route, you’ll find a complete network of hiking trails, mountain roads and cycle paths. All in an enchanting setting, from the start in the Mercantour National Park to the Mediterranean, via three Italian nature parks. More than 432 kilometres of itineraries await you, with 9 walking routes, 7 cycling routes, and a host of sporting activities to discover along the way.

One destination, a thousand sporting activities

RivierALP is far more than just an outdoor destination: it’s an adventure playground! With its nature, history and culture, the region has everything that nature sports enthusiasts are looking for. The valleys of Piedmont, the balconies of the Mediterranean, the elegance of Italy and the charm of French villages… We’ll let you imagine the view while you’re out walking, cycling or in the middle of a canyoning session.

Can’t decide whether to walk or cycle? It’s all about complementing your sporting activities! You can opt for one leg of the tour on foot, another on bike, and alternate depending on what you feel like doing and your level of fitness. It’s also an opportunity to admire the Alpine scenery from a different angle. Whether you’re a family with young children or looking for a more intense physical activity, RivierALP is THE destination that will delight all sports enthusiasts.

PS: Need sports equipment for your crossing? You can get your bike from our hire companies. And if you’re coming in winter, you can hire snowshoes for your outings in the mountains at some of the inns.

Itineraries on foot to discover

The stages of the Limone Piemonte to Menton itinerary

Eight stages from Limone Piemonte to the peaks, then across the border to Menton. This itinerary reveals a discreet and unspoilt facet of the Alpes-Maritimes, stretching along...

Découvrir Voir les étapes

Sport for every pace From the Alps to the Mediterranean: a life-size playground

If you can’t decide between the sea and the mountains, RivierALP is the perfect outdoor destination! There are 9 hiking routes and no fewer than 7 cycling routes(road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, VTTAE…) that will take you from the Alps to the Mediterranean in the blink of an eye (and a bit of a climb). Perfect for those looking for a sporting break in the great outdoors!

But there’s more to the region than walking and cycling. White water sports in the Roya and Bévéra valleys, via ferrata and climbing around Tende, La Brigue and on the Piedmont side, running and trail running between the Alpine passes, paragliding over the border relief, skiing and snowshoeing in winter on the Limone Piemonte side… Each valley, each slope, each season opens up a new way of enjoying outdoor sport. Whether it’s a thrill or a gentle activity, there’s something for everyone here!

Discover our outdoor adventure ideas on RivierALP

Whether on foot, by bike, in white water or in search of thrills at altitude, RivierALP fits together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Explore itineraries designed for sports and nature lovers, soak up the suspended landscapes between France and Italy, and get inspired for your next great adventure from the Alps to the Mediterranean. Want to take your time on holiday? Build your itinerary over several days, with stages between each town, refuge and valley. And if you’d prefer to make RivierALP your playground for just one day, you can do so by following a single stage.

Other outdoor activities

On your route

All accommodation

All restaurants

All guided tours

All equipment hire companies

All sporting activities

Cycling routes Find out more

Itinerary Col de Tende to MentonA cross-border journey between Italy, France and the Côte d'Azur

From the Italian Piedmont to the beaches of Menton, this cycle route links the Maritime Alps to the Mediterranean via more than 120 kilometres of military trails, hilltop...

Découvrir Voir la fiche

One step in France, the other in Italy. Italy: three natural parks at the heart of the game

More than half of RivierALP’s territory is on the Italian side, and that’s precisely what makes it a unique destination for outdoor sporting activities. Three nature parks in Piedmont and Liguria line the itineraries, each with its own character.

The Parco naturale delle Alpi Marittime opens the way, just across the Col de Tende. A former royal hunting reserve turned biodiversity sanctuary, it is home to chamois, ibex, marmotsand the famous wolf reintroduction site. The Parco naturale del Marguareis, further north, is a spectacular mineral world: karstic massifs, chasms, high plateaux and perched refuges.

Finally, the Parco naturale delle Alpi Liguri marks the transition to the Mediterranean. Larch forests, mountain pastures, military trails from the Great War transformed into cycle paths: this is where the mountain bike and gravel routes come into their own, with descents that plunge down to the Riviera dei Fiori.

On the French side, the Mercantour National Park completes the cross-border network, making RivierALP one of the largest protected areas in the Mediterranean Alps.

Four parks, two countries, one outdoor destination!

More beautiful than life itself

On foot or by bike, RivierALP takes you through ever-changing landscapes, from the peaks of the Mercantour to the shores of the Mediterranean. On the French side, the routes take in the rugged terrain of the Mercantour National Park, the Roya and Bévéra valleys, larch forests, high-altitude lakes and hilltop villages such as Saorge and Sospel. Further south, the paths and roads join the already Mediterranean atmosphere around Menton, with its olive groves, terraces and sea views.

On the other side of the border, the routes also cross the Italian Ligurian Alps, the Vermenagna and Piedmont valleys, before descending to the Sanremo and Imperia coasts. The RivierALP itineraries cross mountain passes, old military roads, hilltop villages and landscapes overlooking the Mediterranean. A unique way to discover this cross-border region, shaped by mountains, history and outdoor activities!