Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Alpes-Maritimes department, France

© CAVALIER Michel/hemis.fr/Alam

Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée

We're looking over the pretty village of Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée in the Alpes-Maritimes department of south-east France. Home to about 1,500 residents, the village sits low in the valley just beside the Tinée river. It was partly rebuilt in the 1930s after being damaged by a fire, but as you stroll through the narrow streets today, you will discover pastel-coloured facades, trompe-l'œil frescoes, sundials and fountains. The village lies close to Mercantour National Park, which has peaks over 3,000 metres tall, and the ski resort of Auron, which is linked to Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée directly by a gondola lift.