It had the ring of an epic adventure: we were going to walk from the Alps to the Mediterranean. The idea conjured up images of long marches in blazing sun and freezing snow; of Hannibal and his elephants; of Sir Ranulph Fiennes pushing forward the limits of human endurance.

In fact, it is a pleasant stroll, which takes you from a delightful alpine village to a sunny town beside the sparkling deep blue sea. And there's a good map and step-by-step instructions which make it difficult to get lost.

The magnificent Alpes Maritimes, with their rugged peaks, plunging ravines, wooded slopes and hilltop villages, roll through the south of France until they tumble into the sea on the Riviera coast.

Our short-break walking tour in the region was booked through specialist company Inntravel, which produces itineraries for travellers who want to combine energetic exertion with a spot of chilling out. The company's success is built partly on its expertise in finding homely but high-quality hotels and auberges in remote corners of France which you rather wish you had discovered for yourself.

We started with the physical challenge. Day one saw us high up in the mountains in the pretty riverside village of Sospel, about nine miles' drive from the coast via a tortuous winding road.

The two-star Auberge Provencale was a comfortable and welcoming base, dramatically located on the hillside overlooking the pretty village, with its 13th Century bridge.

Our first walk took us up the river valley towards Breil-sur-Roya, via the hilltop village of Piene Haute and the Italian border near Olivetta. It was a delight, with rugged scenery and paths that were just challenging and rugged enough to give a sense of achievement. The trek was made easier by the comprehensive directions provided by the holiday company, which even included a warning of what to do if confronted by one of the guard dogs who stop local wolves making off with grazing sheep.

It said reassuringly: "You are advised to remain still and not shout or throw stones. After a short period of observation, when he realises you are not a wolf, the dog will return to the flock."

We perched on a rock overlooking a sheer drop into the river far below and ate the picnic that hotel proprietor Monsieur Giannini had pressed into our hands as we set off. On the steep hillside opposite, a herd of goats jangled the bells round their necks as they made their way along rugged, narrow paths. It was a perfect moment.

I was impressed by the holiday company's careful organisation and hugely-detailed itinerary, which even warned of noisy dogs chained in houses on the route and other minor hazards.

Inntravel says that every walking itinerary is covered in its entirety by a member of staff every two years to ensure the walking notes are up to date - and the company's devoted customers are quick to report any changes to paths. We finished the walk sipping cold beer at a cafe overlooking the river, and that night we ate on the hotel terrace as forked lightning flickered among the surrounding peaks.

Walkers on this four-day break face one more challenge - the journey down to the holiday's second centre: the seaside town of Menton, just a few hundred metres from the Italian border.

Menton has been a favourite watering hole since the British discovered the Riviera. Queen Victoria was such a fan they raised a statue to her on the seafront.

It is still a lovely and elegant spot to explore - steep steps take you up into a charming old town, with long dark alleys, fading advertisements painted on crumbling facades and occasional glimpses of fantastic views over the coast.

It is bliss to sit in the open air as dusk falls, sipping a glass of rose Provencale wine and relishing a bowl of fish soup, while swallows swoop overhead.

We stayed at the three-star Hotel Paris-Rome, where breakfast is served in a shady courtyard, home to a chirpy and inquisitive parrot.

The hotel is just a few hundred yards away from the local railway station - where the little local trains stop regularly - ideal, as all the villages and towns that line the Riviera coast are just a short trip by train away.

So you can let the train take the strain as you lunch in Nice, Cannes, or St Tropez, or dine on Cap Ferrat, or at Villefranche.

Ignoring the traffic which builds up along the coast road in high season, we were able to explore the coast by using the train for two very pleasant days days before flying back to London from Nice.

Curiously, two languid days after all that rigorous walking feels a particular pleasure. But the walk had given us a taste of France which it would be impossible to get from the same journey by car.

TRAVELFACTS

* Richard Grant travelled with walking holiday specialist Inntravel (01653 617 906/www.inntravel.co.uk) which offers four-night independent walking from the Alps to the Riviera, costing from £398 per person this summer.

* Package includes return scheduled flights BA Heathrow-Nice, rail and taxi transfers, four nights' B&B, two dinners, one picnic lunch, luggage transfers, and walking maps and notes. Longer seven-night walking options also available from £532 each.

* Regional flight supplements available are: Birmingham, £40; Manchester, £60.