The Refuge de Nice (stages R145/ R146 of the red trail) in the core zone of the Mercantour national park is still in reconstruction and will be closed during the whole year of 2008.

Two options are given:

1. Walking from the Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre to the Refuge de Valmasque in only one day (nearly 7 hours), or
2. Descending behind the Pas du Mont Colomb (#416) in direction "Saint Grat/ Pont du Countat" to the gîte "Relais des Merveilles" www.relaisdesmerveilles.com (nearly 5 hours)

Sabine Bade & Wolfram Mikuteit