Nature is for everyone to enjoy, but the key here is to take time and this is why we have chosen our two endemic snails to symbolise the Nature Reserve. Indeed, contemplation is the Reserve’s main activity.
The mollusc duo exists only in the Gorges du Cians and Gorges de Daluis, where they are abundant and easy to find. These pioneer species, which are rupicolous (living on rocks), are the protected witnesses of the gorges’ ancient history.
They vary in length from a few centimetres to less than a centimetre. With their red shell and black body, they are well camouflaged on the pelite rock. The snails encourage visitors to look after this magical land.
Follow the guide!
The Reserve’s expert guides and mountain professionals are your best option for an enjoyable and enlightening visit in safe hands!
For full details, contact a tourist information office or Valberg’s mountain guide office, Oéroc. Some of the guides are “Esprit Parc National” certified.
There is a donkey trekking specialist based in Villeplane, close to the Reserve. More information is available on the website: www.itinerance.net.
The Gorges de Daluis Nature Reserve proposes all year round:
To find out more, consult our News Section, or why not sign up for the Reserve’s Newsletter.
Many other activities are also proposed by la maison du Parc national du Mercantour in Valberg.
Used for a long time by pastoral and arable farmers, this land is still grazing ground to a few goat and sheep herds. Please respect the safety rules relating to Patou guardian dogs: keep as much distance as possible between you and the herd and avoid all sudden or threatening gestures.
Near the Reserve you can also visit the Gorges de Daluis organic honeybee farm. Please visit their website for further information: www.rucherdaluis.fr.
For local produce, visit the « montagnes paysannes » shop at Puget-Théniers or the old agricultural cooperative at Guillaumes.
Dominated by the ruins of the 13th century fortress of Queen Jeanne, the charming little village of Guillaumes sits where the Gorges de Daluis open out. Visitors will find details of the village’s rich history on the numerous information panels installed by the Cultural Association of Guillaumes. The village has a small Arts & Traditions Museum in which ancient interior design features have been recreated, and the Maison des Gorges Rouges tells the geological story of the pelite formations.
The village also supports the fight to preserve the Occitan language of the high grounds of Nice via the Association Langues et Traditions Orales dans le Haut Pays, Lo Picapòrta, among other means.
Other sites to visit include the Ecomusée de la Roudoule, and the copper museum in the hamlet of Léouvé.
The Route des Grandes Alpes is an unusual narrow and windy road which passes through the Reserve and along the entire Alpine Arc. It features tunnels and bridges that were built in the early 20th century to accommodate the tramway. Drivers and bikers crossing the reserve are invited to slow down and take time to look at these structures which have stood the test of time, not forgetting the deep gorges and magnificent views, such as the Amen Waterfall and the Pont de la Mariée.
A soft mobility scheme is underway within the Reserve where staff are being equipped with mountain bikes and electric vehicles.
Find out about the famous train des Pignes. The nearest station is Entrevaux just 15 minutes away from the Reserve. In Valberg, there are also plenty of places to rent electric mountain bikes.
On the site’s main trails (Point Sublime and Amen), you may meet some “Nature Ambassadors”. Since 2014, young volunteers have been coming to the Nature Reserve to carry out their national citizen service for eight-month periods. They are working on a frequentation study and are there to make the public aware of the rich natural heritage of the Gorges de Daluis and the need to preserve the site.
It is the Nature Reserve’s vocation to welcome scientists from every field relating to Earth and life sciences. Researchers and students carry out studies and trials here, recording information and monitoring species throughout the year. There are short-term projects and others which last several years, like the monitoring of birds, butterflies or mammals. For further information, please go to the « Publications » section of this website.
To email a photo with precise details of where it was taken, please click on the pictograms.
Participate in the night sky quality measuring campaign.
Please send us your full details (full name, postal address, email and mobile number) by email.
How to become an ambassador of the Reserve.
If you are under 26 years of age and wish to volunteer for citizen service at the Reserve, please email your CV to us together with a cover letter.
