Vallée des Merveilles

Tende

At the foot of Mont Bégo (2872 m), in the Mercantour massif, the Vallée des Merveilles and the neighbouring Fontanalba valley hold one of the most important collections of rock engravings in Europe, with more than 30,000 figures recorded across about 1400 hectares. Made mainly in the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age by percussion on glacier-polished red sandstone slabs, they depict horned figures identified as cattle, weapons, and human figures. Mont Bégo, regularly struck by lightning, seems to have held a sacred character for the pastoral populations of the Bronze Age. The coordinates given correspond to the area of the Lac des Merveilles; as the site is very extensive, they should be considered approximate.

Getting there : Listed (1959) then classified (1969) as a natural site; listed as a Historic Monument (1987-1989); located in the core zone of the Mercantour national park, access regulated, a guide is recommended

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound