Ascent of Coudon (83)

Hello. This hike was done at the end of April 2025 by the two of us (both 68 years old) combining two hikes (departure from Solliers Ville chapel). Nice hike but slowed down at the end after the Petit Coudon as it was much steeper than Normandy.....

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Interesting walk for the magnificent views along the way but too much walking on the road ...
Too bad ...!

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Hike done 2 times. It's a superb hike with lovely views!

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hello
We did this walk yesterday and it was very pleasant because the descent is gentle. It took us 2 hours 15 minutes without stopping.
The view is magnificent and the route is not very busy.

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Walk made at the end of July 2024. Very hot and in a clockwise direction. As is often the case, the signposting seems 'obvious' after the fact....But at the time we found the GR signposting non-existent, there was green signposting on the ground but it didn't start until we were well on the 'right path' up to Petit Coudon (it goes off to the left) after much hesitation. As for the Visorando signposting, which is sketchy for the start because it doesn't take into account the presence of several paths, we didn't find several elements: the orientation table for the ascent, for the descent, after the road section, the 'multicoloured post' had disappeared: you have to go downhill, at least that's the principle - there's only one path that goes off at a hairpin bend, so don't go back up towards the fort. As for the climb from Petit Coudon to Coudon (which is the goal after all), it seems to have been omitted from the description.
I can't remember the comments made elsewhere, but I still don't know if you were allowed to go up to the end of the road, at the foot of the car parks (?). For the view +++. We were deterred not by commandos but by free-roaming billy goats. Then, on the way down, we discovered the 'prohibited military terrain' sign, which is not visible when you come out of the climb at the North Battery.

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No signposting.
Interesting walk, beautiful views and a very pleasant shaded section in the undergrowth from point 6. Road section between points 5 and 6.

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A very fine walk, part of which is shaded. The climb was a little physical. The summit was a little frustrating as it was military.
The descent on pavement with a few opportunities to cut through the forest from time to time.

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Done in the proposed direction today, and given the time, we must have bumped into the people in the previous post. Were they both walking with walking sticks?
Apart from that, the track is old and not very precise on reaching the summit, but the paths are clearly visible and the orientation tables can be reached from the cistern. The view of Toulon harbour and the rest of the area is splendid from the road leading down. The views from the Petit Coudon and upwards are also splendid in sunny weather.
Beware of animals or small children: when you reach the Petit Coudon, the cliff is never far from the path, but is sometimes hidden by vegetation.

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Superb ride.
However, there were no G51 markings at all. We did the route in reverse (equally beautiful in both directions).

To avoid making a mistake, first turn left at the first fork in the road at the end of the Chemin du Coudon, then left again after a hundred metres (follow the path made up of sloping stone slabs). From here, you can continue on to the Petit Coudon.

Yours sincerely

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Good hike, with some pretty nice views
Steep path at the start until you reach the road at the top of Mont Coudon
Then, the section on the road is flat and you descend from the path on the way back.

Be careful at the start of the hike, take the track with the "chemin de Coudon" sign.

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For the ascent from the Chemin du Coudon, there is little or no red and white signposting, just follow the more or less faded orange circles. At the top, before reaching the orientation table for the last 300 metres, it was difficult to read the path. It was a steep but magnificent climb, taking us 1.5 hours to cover the 2 km. Instead of taking the road (point 4), we turned left onto the blue and green signposted crest path, which was superb but a little demanding and technical, with pebbles and rocks. We followed it until we crossed the road (point 5) to take the very pleasant and relaxing undergrowth path down to the car park. All in all, this variation on the ridges took 4 hours. A superb loop, best done on a day with little or no wind.

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did you do it at night?

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A challenging but not overly difficult walk, rewarded by an exceptional panorama.

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Hello,

My starting point was point 5....Route D 446.
As I don't like tarmac, I preferred to follow the path that runs alongside the cliffs up to the hairpin bend.
The rest of the route is identical.

Of note were the mine-clearing drills, which surprised us with their noise... We had to stop for 10 minutes to respect the safety perimeter and the advice of the bomb disposal experts.

Very nice circuit with beautiful views.
A total of 6km.

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There is no signposting for the GR51.
Make sure you take the Chemin du Coudon and turn left at the next junction.
The views over the region are magnificent.
You need to deviate from the main path, on the left, to get to the 2 orientation tables, a little before you reach the road.
On the D446, at the level of the old southern batteries, as you climb the embankment, you will come across an old greenish signpost. Following a path through the rocks, it skirts the edge of the cliff and leads back to point 5, avoiding a good stretch of tarmac...
Thanks to the author for sharing...

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