Liz Lord, 47, left Bury St Edmunds for France in 2003 to set up a walking and adventure company Spacebetween (www.space- between.co.uk ) with her husband in the Mercantour national park, an hour's drive from Nice

Eat here

Our favourite pizza restaurant is L'Ancien Abattoir (00 33 4 93 02 03 30) in the village of Belvédère. Co-owner Jacqueline's flambéd apple tart with cream and ice-cream is to die for.

Must do

Visit the Vallée des Merveilles - an atmospheric site with more than 35,000 Bronze Age carvings on the rocks. Go with an experienced guide who will really bring the place to life.

Avoid

Mid-August can bring startling storms, particularly in the Merveilles. This is prime French holiday time, so best avoided.

Top shop

Marco's in the main street in Saint-Martin-Vésubie has excellent local meat and prepared dishes.

A to B

TAM (Transport Alpes-Maritimes) buses charge a mere 70p wherever you go. Catch the bus from Nice bus station or airport and arrive in the Southern Alps in about an hour.

Insider tip

Check when half-day closing is in the valleys. Visitors might otherwise find themselves in a ghost town with no chance of food or drink.

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