Freestone · Granite · Alpes-Maritimes / Italy border

Roya

Roya terrain map
Terrain map

The Roya is a cross-border river: it rises at the Col de Tende on the French side of the Mercantour, runs south through Tende, Saorge and Breil-sur-Roya, then crosses into Italy and reaches the Mediterranean at Ventimiglia.

Species

A side-water session, not the main event

Low and clear — careful approach country. Long leader, small flies, slower casts.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
7°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature4928% weight
  • Flow6022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time4513% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Prey Activity2812% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
7.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
6°C
Wind
N 6 km/h
Calm
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
5.9 mm
Light rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Through the open trout season — the Roya runs from the Italian border down to the Mediterranean. Spring through summer evenings; autumn small flies.
Where
Pool tails and pocket water through the Mercantour-bordering valley. Maritime-Alps freestone — clear water, fast pockets.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. The water reads clear — long leader, fine tippet. Move slowly, cast accurately.
Kit
9 ft #4 — French freestone default. Floating line, 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots.
Why this works
Fair conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Prey activity is weakest (28).
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA Alpes-Maritimes
  • Cross-border river — French carte on the French side; Italian permit required below the border at Ventimiglia.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Roya is a cross-border river: it rises at the Col de Tende on the French side of the Mercantour, runs south through Tende, Saorge and Breil-sur-Roya, then crosses into Italy and reaches the Mediterranean at Ventimiglia. The French section is about forty kilometres of classic high-altitude trout water — granite bedrock, fast pocket water, small wild brown trout, the whole thing hemmed in by the Mercantour peaks on one side and the Ligurian Alps on the other. Storm Alex in October 2020 hit the Roya valley almost as hard as the Vésubie. The main road between France and Italy was destroyed for months; villages were isolated; the river's course was reshaped in several reaches. Reconstruction is well advanced but the valley still carries the memory. For the angler, the fishing is back — the upper reaches above Saorge recovered quickly and the trout are once again holding in the pocket water where they always held. Late May onwards, short rod, and the same respect you would give any river that has been through something serious. The cross-border status adds a small administrative wrinkle: fish the French side with the French carte and remember that Italy is only a few kilometres downstream.

  • Granite
Seasons & zones
  • Trout2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
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