Belvedere: Hotels and Accommodation

The Gordolasque Valley lies 12 kilometres upstream from Belvédère. The Gordolasque is a tributary of the Vésubie, lies within Mercantour National Park and forms an alpine valley. From Nice, the starting points of the hiking trails in the Gordolasque can be reached by driving up the Vésubie Valley, passing Belvédère and continuing along the Gordolasque road to its end.

If you would like to find a hotel in Belvédère for your stay, you can focus your search on this location.

Nature

The Vallée des Merveilles can only be reached on foot from the Gordolasque. Trout fishing is possible in the Gordolasque mountain stream.

Culture and History

The parish church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul in Belvédère dates from the 17th century and has a square tuff bell tower. The forgotten chapel trail in Belvédère is a hiking trail that explores rural chapels, as well as the religious heritage and local history.

The Chapelle Saint-Antoine on Rue Saint-Antoine dates from the late 15th century and houses an altar, paintings and murals. The Coulagno protection ritual is still practised today in the Chapelle Saint-Blaise, and the chapel offers views over the Vésubie Valley. The Chapelle du Planet is located above Belvédère on the GR52A and is dedicated to Regina Coeli Fenestra. The Chapelle Saint-Grat in the Gordolasque is associated with farmers’ protective customs against storms and pests affecting the crops.

The ensemble comprising the Vallée des Merveilles and Fontanalbe is classified as a historic monument. More than 36,000 rock engravings from the Copper and Bronze Ages have been discovered in the Vallée des Merveilles.

Traditions and Crafts

The Polente Festival takes place on the day after Mardi Gras. On the Place des Tilleuls, there are seven square stone areas and a large area that is still used for cooking the sauce and polenta over a fire. The “Le retour des bergers” festival takes place on Saint Michael’s Day; the herds descend from the summer pastures into the village, and the shepherds are celebrated by the entire population. The Saint-Blaise Festival is celebrated every year on 3 February in the chapel of the same name and includes a mass and a cabbage farandole led by the couples who married most recently during the previous year.

The Musée du Lait presents historic equipment used to make butter and cheese, as well as old tools from the shepherds’ way of life. It has been housed in the former dairy cooperative since 1911 and conveys traditional knowledge of butter and cheese production. The Musée du Lait can be visited by prior arrangement through the information office of the Office de Tourisme Métropolitain Nice Côte d’Azur.

Further destinations to help with your planning: Valdeblore, Pierrefeu, Marie, Coursegoules, Clans, Saint-Dalmas-Le-Selvage, Moulinet, Roubion

For the overview of the wider travel region: Alpes-Maritimes.