01-Feb-2002 -- 44 N 007 E is in the Cians valley between its "lower" and "upper" gorges, at the level of the small village of RIGAUD (150 inhabitants) in the Alpes Maritimes.

We got there, my wife Anne Marie, our friend Philippe Demotz and I, from Nice through the N202 to Touet sur Var, and then north using the D28.

We first climbed to RIGAUD village and had a general look over the Cians valley towards the "Vallon de Maras" where the confluence is located (the confluence area is shown with an orange cross).

The spot is in the north slope of the vallon in a shining triangle of stone.

We considered the best plan was to leave the car at the RIGAUD fork on the D28 (the place is 523 meters high), then walk to the river using the path to "Le Claus" and there cross the Cians on a funny bouncing suspension footbridge.

Some terraced old cultivations around an isolated house (with dogs…) allowed us to gain some altitude. we further climbed in the dry bed of the "vallon de Maras" and then straight up towards the "Crete de Maras".

The slope is very steep and we had to use all bushes (mainly box trees) to pull ourselves through a closed mediterranean vegetal system.

The area of the confluence is "bush free" and very steep (over 80% gradient). So we only went 69 meters from the real spot to prevent any dangerous fall.

Coming down after the visit was not the easiest job, and it took us 2h10 minutes for the whole trip.

The confluence is 760 meters high, and at 850 meters, as the crow flies, from the parking place.

Don't try it in summer !!