Arrivals in Aussois. No hiking.

We'll start with a 30-min transfer above Modane, across from the Maurienne Valley, starting at the small ski resort of Valfréjus. Our trail enters the Vallée Etroite, where we begin a pleasant ascent toward the open col of Vallée Etroite (7,920 ft) until we reach the foot of Mount Thabor eiyh sweeping views of the summits of the Massif de la Vanoise—the third-highest mountain range in France.

Afternoon a picnic lunch, our descent takes us along wild streams and through alpine meadows to the huts of the Vallée Etroite. From here we'll continue over Col des Thures and down to luminous Vallée de la Clarée, a visual wonderland of mountain lakes and green pastures under famously sunny skies, framed by the Alps' most photogenic dolomite peaks. In the late afternoon we'll transfer to Briançon, one of the highest mountain villages in France at 4,350 feet, where we spend the night.

• Day 2: 13.5 miles, 7.5 hours, 3,669' gain, 4,125' loss

• Photography Highlight: Vanoise summits, Vallée de la Clarée

After breakfast it's a 40-min transfer to Villard St Pancrace and Queyras National Park, rich with diverse flora and unique rock formations. Our hike begins in the hamlet of Chalets des Ayes (5,676 ft) and continues up a forested stream. We’ll reach a summer-farming region just beneath the Col des Ayes (8,175 ft). In the afternoon, we will make our way up to the exquisite hamlet of Clapeyto (7,330 ft ), with breathtaking views of the valley below, and then down to the village of Brunissard (5,926 ft). It's a 90-min transfer to our hotel in St Véran.

• Day 3: 8 miles, 6.5 hours, 3,336' gain, 2,250' loss

• Photography Highlight: Col des Ayes, descent to Brunissard

Set your alarm! Today we're hitting the trail at 4:30am so we can experience and photograph an Alps sunrise. We start at Chapelle de Clausis (7,722 ft), the photogenic chapel watching over the valleys of Aigueblanche, then hike out to Col Blanchet (9,504 ft) as the dark purples and blues blues of early morning are overcome by dawn's pinks and reds. It's a sunrise like no other.

After breakfast on the trail, we'll briefly set foot in Italy—since Roman times, this area has been the conduit for trans-Alpine invasions—before crossing back to France via the wide and scenic Col Longet (8,778 ft). The descent from here is long and gentle, passing through Alpine meadows and along the Ubaye river valley to Maljesset (6,303 ft). It's a 60-min transfer to our hotel in Barcelonnette.

Day 4: 14 miles, 8.5 hours, 2,491' gain, 3,680' loss

Photography Highlight: Sunrise hike, Ubaye river valley

Day of rest! We leave the hotel in Barcelonnette at 8:30am, and arrive after a 3-hour drive in St Martin de Vésubie. The rest of the day is yours, with an optional opportunity to photograph wolves.

This morning, we drive to the end of the Boreon valley (25 min), a main entrance for Mercantour National Park, home to ermine, ibex and eagles. Starting from the stone barns at Vacherie du Boréon (5,413 ft), we’ll pass through groves of larch trees toward shimmering Trécolpas lake (7,095 ft) and continue to Pas de Ladres (8,078 ft)—our pass for today and another opportunity to capture sweeping mountain views that extend out to Corsica on a clear day. Our descent takes us to the Madone de Fenestre (6,295 ft), a 14th-century high altar made of Lebanese cedar nestled at the end of the valley. It's a short 15-min transfer back to St Martin Vésubie.

Day 6: 7 miles, 6 hours, 2,624' gain, 1,771' loss

Photography Highlight: Trécolpas lake, Pas de Ladres

An early transfer (30-min drive) takes us to Camp d’Argent and the start of our trail. As we follow the GR5 trail along the ridge between the Roya and Bavera valleys, we’re be greeted by the heady fragrances of the world-famous herbes de Provence—rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram and savory—which grow along our route. Next, we'll approach the medieval village of Sospel (1,148 ft), famous for its baroque church, newly renovated town square and 13th-century toll bridge, one of the last of its kind in the world. We'll have time to scout the village and set-up for a late-afternoon capture of Sospel's cobbled streets and bridges, before transferring to our hotel in Menton.

• Day 7: 11.5 miles, 7 hours, 1,596' gain, 4,900' loss

• Photography Highlight: Roya and Bavera valleys, medieval Sospel

Our final hiking day begins with a hike to the Grand Mont (4,550 ft) to enjoy one last panoramic view of the mountains, the perfect setting for a picnic lunch and some group shots. Then it’s down to the Mediterranean village of Castellar (1,280 ft), its citrus- and sunshine-colored houses perched on the side of a steep slope overlooking the sea.

It's a short transfer back to our hotel in Menton, where we’ll mark the end our journey by dipping our toes into the azure waters of the Mediterranean and capturing sunset from the seafront. Only a few miles from the Italian border, Menton is the warmest and most dolce vita of the Côte d'Azur resorts. And the perfect spot for us to convene for a farewell dinner overlooking the Mediterranean, to celebrate the end of our Alps adventure.

Day 8: 7.5 miles, 6.5 hours, 2,428' gain, 4,600' loss

Photography Highlight: Le Grand Mont, sunset in Menton