On arriving in Gorbio you’ll find yourself in the Place de la Republic - a traditional village square complete with historic fountain, 300 year old elm tree and two restaurants.
Unlike some of the area’s medieval villages, Gorbio still has a very lived-in feel to it; there aren’t so many ex-pats or holiday-makers here and there are plenty of locals who have lived here for generations. The village square is a real focal point with children playing football round the fountain, elderly folk chatting under the ancient tree and neighbours stopping for a chat and a pastis at the café.
It's certainly a bit less “polished” than some of the other villages but this adds to its charm - some of the streets are a bit ramshackle and some of the houses look like they’ve been deemed 'beyond repair' and left to the elements. However, the village is still extremely pretty and has plenty of character.
Gorbio is an excellent starting point for exploring the Alpes-Maritimes, just take a quick stroll around the village and see how many hiking signposts there are. From here you can start the GR51 that runs all the way up to Lake Geneva in the northern Alps.
