Tour Summary

An introduction to the remarkable flora of thesouthern Alps, showing how the combination of the Mediterranean and Alpine biomes has led to one of the most diverse floras of Europe with an extraordinary level of endemic species.

PLEASE NOTE-this Tour only has 8 places. Application form below

Itinerary overview

Part of our time will be based in the mountain village of Gréolières (about an hour NW of Nice), focusing on the flora of the préalpes region (800 – 1800m). Here the mediterranean and alpine influences have created a mosaic of habitats spread across a complex landscape of mountains, gorges and karstic plateaux. We will also make two expeditions up to the mountains of the Mercantour National Park, exploring the high altitude calcareous flora of Mount Mounier and the granite peaks of the Cime du Gélas.

Ideal tour participants

Those who are interested in seeing plants growing in their natural habitats and have a good level of fitness. Also of interest to anyone who would like to improve their field identification skills, has an interest in understanding the ecological factors and adaptations that enable plants to survive in mountainous environments, and those who work / would like to work in a botanic garden.

Tour leader

David Richter – a former student of the RBG Kew who moved to the region several years ago and now divides his time between working with the Jardin Botanique de la Flore des AlpesMaritimes (JBAM), a new botanic garden dedicated to the wild plants of the Maritime Alps, which he helped to establish alongside his partner Beth Marshall in 2023, and working as a guide to the wild landscapes of the area.

Detailed itinerary

(please note: this itinerary should not be considered binding and will be adapted to suit weather conditions)

Day 1

Arrival at Nice airport. Supermarket visit to stock up for the week, then transfer to the mountain village of Gréolières (50 mins) to settle in accommodation. Evening: introductory talk on the JBAM project and the flora of the Alpes ­Maritimes.

Day 2

Early start for the 2 hour drive to the foot of Mount Mounier, where we will follow a route that leads through a high mountain pastoral landscape, into subalpine grasslands with strong mediterranean influences, and then into the upper scree slopes of the mountain, home to the endemic Berardia lanuginosa.

Day 3

Day exploring the flora of the Préalpes d’Azur Regional Park. We will travel a short distance to the karstic plateau of Caussols, where in an area of around 60 km² over 800 species of plant can be found.

Day 4

The first day of our hike up into the granite peaks of the Mercantour National Park. We will explore the extraordinary richness of the Gordolasque valley, moving from forests of pine and larch up into the rocky
slopes of the upper valley, where we will search for the emblematic Saxifraga florulenta, before settling in our mountain refuge for the night.

Day 5

After breakfast at the refuge, we will spend the morning exploring the alpine flora between 2200 – 2700 m, then descend via a neighbouring valley to our drop off point from the day before.

Day 6

A short expedition from the ski station of Gréolières­les­Neiges up to the peak of the Montagne du Cheiron, where we will explore how the mediterranean and alpine habitats we have already visited co­exist on this bulwark of the Préalpes d’Azur.

Day 7

Morning visit to the JBAM site and nursery (if travel times allow), then leave accommodation by noon for return journey to Nice Airport.

Practical information

Cost: £520, not including flights. It is anticipated that an E F Hendry Bequest Award will be available
to help with costs for this tour, in effect reducing considerably this amount.
Number of participants: 8
Dates: Sunday 29 June – Saturday 5 July 2025
Accommodation: twin­rooms in a shared house, self­catering with a supermarket stop en route from the airport and local shops and restaurants in the village. One night will be spent in the Refuge de Nice, a mountain refuge at 2232 m with shared dormitories, dinner and breakfast included.
Transport: airport transfers to and from Nice airport are included, as are daily drop offs and pick ups.
Fitness: the itinerary is based around a series of daily medium to long walks, at times on steep gradients with occasionally rocky or uneven ground, with participants required to carry their lunch, additional clothing and any field equipment they want to bring.
Essential kit:
Strong, comfortable walking boots
Backpack
Waterproofs
Sun cream, hat, sunglasses and mosquito repellent
Sleeping bag and towel (for the refuge stay)
Insurance: personal travel insurance, including mountain rescue, is obligatory for this tour. Proof will
be required before final confirmation of your place.
Reporting responsibilities: this tour forms part of the AGS’s charitable remit, so participants will be
encouraged to document their discoveries along the way, with a participant giving a talk to the East
Surrey Group of the AGS about the tour after their return, and others providing content for the AGS
journal and other AGS media.

Further information

Application forms for this trip available below.
Please send completed form and any further questions to David directly at:
dkrichter@hotmail.com
+0033 7 85 79 18 26