.webp)
Between hidden valleys, the peaks of Mercantour, and villages perched high above, the Haut Pays Niçois region reveals a new generation of elegant and committed refuges. Contemporary resorts, Michelin-starred inns, and pioneering establishments: three destinations where the mountains express themselves differently, through expertise, local character, and art de vivre.
Auberge de la Roche: the pioneering spirit of Mercantour
In Valdeblore, above the Tinée Valley, an inn seems to have slipped naturally into the landscape, as if it had always been waiting for its doors to reopen. The Auberge de la Roche is the work of a couple in their thirties—Mickaëlle Chabat and Louis-Philippe Riel—who transformed an abandoned building into one of the most unique addresses in the Haut Pays Niçois.
The story begins in 2018, when Louis-Philippe stumbled upon this unfinished, graffiti-covered, forgotten concrete cube. A chef turned carpenter and mountain lover, he saw potential in it that no one else could see. Together with his partner Mickaëlle, they embarked on a complete renovation, supported by friends who drew up plans, sanded beams, and rebuilt walls. No architects were involved: everything was designed, crafted, and assembled by their own hands. Against all odds, the inn opened in a place where everything seemed doomed to disappear.
The house now has five bedrooms and an outdoor spa with hot and cold baths and a sauna. The decor reflects the couple's love of vintage objects: an 1830 staircase from the BNF, a 1936 deckchair, glass paving stones salvaged from La Samaritaine, and a vintage coffee machine found in Verona. Nothing is new; everything has been chosen, passed down, and brought back to life.
In the garden, they literally turned the mountain upside down: five tons of stones sorted by hand, terraces recreated, three vegetable gardens installed — in spiral permaculture, mixed cropping, or rows. More than 600 herbs grow there, alongside rare vegetables, edible flowers, cabbages, tomatoes, physalis... Around it, a chicken coop houses an ancient breed of laying hens, while the terrace is home to a smokehouse designed by Louis-Philippe for homemade charcuterie and fish. The goal: to strive for self-sufficiency and cultivate the authenticity of the land.
In the kitchen, there is no menu or advance promises: the Carte Blanche menus are written on a daily basis, depending on what the garden produces and what local producers bring in. Three flavors per plate. Everything is cooked whole, with strict respect for the product: vegetables roasted from end to end, fish on the bone, meat smoked then roasted. The cuisine embraces its local roots to the fullest: no chocolate, no exotic spices, but mountain herbs, rich juices, variations on lamb, mule, or cabbage. In the morning, breakfast consists of sourdough bread that has been fed for years, homemade butter, brioches smoked in the fireplace, charcuterie, and jams from the garden.
At Auberge de la Roche, nothing is left to chance, yet everything seems to flow seamlessly. Perhaps this is because the inn is not just a concept: it is a living space, born of the joyful tenacity of three artisans who decided to reinvest in the mountains in a different way. Here, you dine facing the Mercantour, sleep in rooms designed like contemporary mountain refuges, and wake up admiring the Piedmont. Here, nothing is staged: everything is built, thought out, and embodied by this trio who chose to revive the mountains in a different way.
Auberge Quintessence: the star regained
At the Col de la Couillole, at an altitude of 1,700 meters, the Auberge Quintessence has been reborn with rare energy. Michelin has just restored its star, lost twice before, recognizing the determined work of a chef who has never strayed from the path. Christophe Billau, a self-taught chef who has worked in Geneva, Île de Ré and Los Angeles, has found his calling here: precise, instinctive mountain cuisine, entirely dedicated to the region.
The adventure began further down, near Roure. A communal inn taken over in 2009 with €6,000, two covers, and a lot of audacity. Five years later, against all odds, they received their first Michelin star. But the chef and his wife Pauline dreamed of a place of their own. In 2017, they moved into a former refuge on the Col de la Couillole, a building that needed to be completely reinvented. The opening in 2019 was followed by another star... which was immediately lost, due to the pace of the renovations, family bereavements, and a reduced team. “We kept going without looking up,” sums up the chef. He reviewed everything: a single service per evening, a single menu, two days of closure. Balance returned, customers remained loyal, the team bonded, and the star finally returned in 2025.
The inn now has seven rooms and a separate Alpine barn for four people below the village, which is self-sufficient in water and energy. There are no screens in the rooms, just a wood stove and a large terrace overlooking the valley: the place exudes a sense of joyful simplicity, far removed from the usual hotel standards.
In the kitchen, the approach is clear: a single six-course menu, served at a set time, focusing on produce from the Mercantour. Billau doesn't like the idea of a “signature dish.” What characterizes his cuisine is precise cooking, mountain herbs, fermentation, and the flavors of the high altitude. The poultry comes from Pierlas, the pigs from a nearby farm, and the trout from the Cians gorges. As the season is short at altitude, quinces, vegetables, and roots are preserved, fermented, or jarred in caramel infused with imperatoria, an alpine root that gives them a typical mountain flavor. The desserts are not overly sweet and often feature local products, such as Nicolas Rondi's cheese ice cream, made with milk from Roubion cows and flavored with rosehip, or wild rose.
In the dining room, Pauline has developed a carefully curated selection of mountain wines, all sourced from winemakers she knows personally. The cheese is matured on site, in a small cellar that she cherishes like a treasure. Their daughter, Clémentine, a second-year apprentice, has joined the team: “We both worked hard to regain the star,” insists her father.
Quintessence is not a restaurant you just happen to pass by. You really have to make an effort to get there. And perhaps that is what makes it one of the most unique places in the Haut Pays Niçois: a contemporary refuge where the cuisine tells the story of the mountains with accuracy and conviction.
Open for the holidays — December 25 and December 31
Auberge Quintessence will be open for Christmas lunch and New Year's Eve dinner on December 31. New Year's Eve dinner will be served in the evening, in keeping with the spirit of the establishment: a unique menu based on mountain produce, served in the intimate setting of the wood-paneled dining room and the terrace overlooking La Couillole.
Pure Montagne Resort & Spa: discreet luxury in the heart of Vésubie
In Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Pure Montagne Resort & Spa stands out as one of the most beautiful addresses in the Haut Pays Niçois region. This contemporary hamlet of wooden chalets, set in wooded grounds, offers an elegant and peaceful interpretation of the mountains. The 34 suites and 9 modular rooms feature a contemporary Alpine style: custom-made furniture, natural materials, abundant light, and terraces opening onto the peaks. The atmosphere is carefully crafted, reflecting the influence of a major figure in the region: Chevalier Victor de Cessole.
A great explorer of the Mercantour at the end of the 19th century, he crisscrossed these valleys, traced the first climbing routes, and worked to make the mountains accessible to all. His footsteps inspired the spirit of the resort. Each apartment is designed as a nod to his expeditions, his stories, and the mountain refuges he helped to open. This discreet but fundamental presence reminds us that luxury here is nourished as much by comfort as by a genuine cultural heritage.
Just two minutes from the National Park trails, the resort serves as a base camp for hikers, trail runners, and nature lovers. The 200 m² Nordic spa, with its sauna, steam room, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, and private areas, extends the experience with a focus on wellness. The treatments, by KOS and SNÖ Eternelle, are based on mountain plants and gentle techniques, perfectly in tune with the identity of the place.
The restaurant, L’Air du Temps, is run by chef Julien Matheret. A native of the village, he revisits the products of the Haut Pays region with a contemporary, precise, and seasonal approach, served in the wood-paneled dining room or on the panoramic terrace.
.webp)
Pure Montagne Resort & Spa embodies a reinvented mountain experience: authentic, bright, connected to its history and environment. A destination that redefines the concept of luxury in the Mercantour.
New Year's Eve – December 31
To celebrate the arrival of 2026, the resort is offering one night's accommodation for two people, including continental breakfast and a buffet dinner served on the evening of December 31 in the Bar Lounge. Musical entertainment will continue until 1 a.m. The buffet includes appetizers, starters, main courses, and desserts. Check-in is available from 1 p.m. on December 31, and check-out is at 2 p.m. on January 1, allowing guests to start the year in a relaxed and privileged atmosphere.
https://www.puremontagneresort.fr
Associated places
