© Alison Shayler
© Alison Shayler
Scenic train journey taking you from the coast in Nice into the mountains further north
Merveilles means “marvels” and it’s hard to know whether they named the area for the stunning scenery, the beautiful old medieval villages or the archaeological findings going back 5000 years. The railway carriages are painted with designs inspired by the prehistoric rock carvings that have been discovered in the region.
The train line actually runs all the way to Cuneo in Italy, but most sightseers only go as far as the medieval village of Tende or to Breil-Sur-Roya in the Vallée des Merveilles. To go all the way to Cuneo takes about 3 hours, with Tende being just 2 hours from the beginning of the line in Nice. Some of the services do not go all the way to the end of the line, so be careful when planning your journey or you may find yourself stuck somewhere in the middle!
Merveilles means “marvels” and it’s hard to know whether they named the area for the stunning scenery, the beautiful old medieval villages or the archaeological findings going back 5000 years. The railway carriages are painted with designs inspired by the prehistoric rock carvings that have been discovered in the region.
A few months before his death in 1955, artist Fernand Léger acquired a farmhouse at the foot of the village of Biot. It was here that his widow Nadia Leger, decided to create a museum to honour him and showcase his life's work.
Classified as a historic monument this 15th-century catholic church is located in the heart of the village of Biot.
The narrow and beautiful Gorges du Loup cuts north-south through the hills at the foot of Gourdon, 12 km from Grasse.
This remnant of the second world war is a huge engineering feat made from lots of concrete and once housed machine guns and barracks.
The heart of the old town of Sospel opens out into a wide sunny square dominated by the colourful facade of the Saint-Michel cathedral.
Merveilles means “marvels” and it’s hard to know whether they named the area for the stunning scenery, the beautiful old medieval villages or the archaeological findings going back 5000 years. The railway carriages are painted with designs inspired by the prehistoric rock carvings that have been discovered in the region.
An unlimited day ticket (Pass ZOU) costs 15€ per person and is valid for all journeys on the Train des Merveilles line. They are available at the main train station in nice or at any stations along the route.
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