Saint Sauveur sur Tinée

Pop.: 459 h. Surface Area : 3 165 ha Alt.: 500 m

Alpes Maritimes Department.

As you emerge from the spectacular red schist Mescla gorges, you will arrive at Saint Sauveur sur Tinée, a large mountain market town located on the edge of the Mercantour, National Park, nestling in a bend of the river Tinée.

Saint Sauveur has hidden talents that are not necessarily visible when you just drive through it. You won't regret taking the time to visit it at length and will no doubt be charmed by the local red-coloured stone that was used to build most of its old houses, in perfect harmony with the mauve slates of its roofs.

Its recently cobbled medieval streets exude an enchanting atmosphere, climbing and descending, enabling you to discover lovely round fountains, large roofed wash-houses, or a little further on a baroque church with the front painted orange-tinted pink, topped by a slender Romanesque bell tower. Not forgetting a few stone sculpted lintels dating from the 16th century, a bread oven and an olive oil mill.

More than half of the village's territory is covered by forest, and so the surrounding landscape is very beautiful.

You can discover it via the way-marked paths, including the famous long distance GR5 and GR 52A footpaths that pass through the area.