Taxi Nice — Saint-Martin-Vésubie

Saint-Martin-Vésubie is an exceptional mountain town nestled at 960 metres altitude at the confluence of the Boréon and Madone de Fenestre rivers, in the heart of the Vésubie valley. Nicknamed the 'Swiss Riviera' for its lush alpine landscapes and crystal-clear torrents, this small town is the primary gateway to the Mercantour National Park, one of France's natural jewels with its 685 km² of wilderness sheltering chamois, ibex, marmots and the famous wolves that naturally returned to the Alps from Italy. It is the wolf that has brought recent fame to Saint-Martin thanks to the Alpha animal park, located in the Boréon forest at 1,500 metres altitude, where three wolf packs live in semi-freedom in a spectacular forest setting. The village itself is charming, with its central street lined with 16th-century arcaded houses, its central canal (the 'valat') carrying mountain water, and its Church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption housing an altarpiece attributed to Louis Bréa. The Boréon valley, accessible from the village, offers an enchanting lake surrounded by larches and hiking trails to the Mercantour's high-altitude lakes. In summer, Saint-Martin is a paradise for hikers; in winter, the nearby La Colmiane resort offers family skiing. The journey from Nice ascends the spectacular Vésubie valley, one of the wildest in the Alpes-Maritimes.