Bandol walks

A hike in the Bandol countryside. A beautiful climb in the heart of nature. Step off the path a little for better views. The return trip is along the coastal path. You will walk along the Mediterranean Sea and its red earth or the water against a blue-green backdrop. A very pleasant narrow path, a steep descent and numerous steps await you. A hundred metres before you arrive, don't hesitate to go down the steps to the Baie de la Rénécros for lunch on the beach.

The Gros Cerveau massif can be divided into three hikes. This one, the westernmost, is perhaps the easiest. It starts in Sanary-sur-Mer and climbs up to the Demi-Lune cave. There are some beautiful views of Sanary-sur-Mer and Bandol, as well as the inland area and the quarry.

Here is a variation on the hike I described previously (La Roche Curade above Sanary-sur-Mer), which allows you to discover a new trail, climb up to the Pointe du Gros Cerveau fortification, follow the ridges, visit the Garou cave, and approach La Roche Curade from the opposite direction. Only the last quarter of the route is the same as the previous route, but in the opposite direction.

A tour of Gros Cerveau, climbing through the woods with magnificent 360° views of the coast. The red route, which follows theGR® at times.

This circular walk starting from La Cadière d'Azur will take you along theGR®®51to the Gros Cerveau ridge, where you can visit an old fort and a cave and enjoy an exceptional 360° view covering the Île de Porquerole and La Ciotat. The return journey is via a shaded path descending along the Val d'Aren.

A very easy walk that will allow you to see some fossils, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, with beautiful views of the hilltop villages of Le Castellet and La Cadière d'Azur. Between 1824 and 1949, a lignite mine (a type of coal between peat and hard coal) was operated at the Fontanieu site; a few very discreet remains of this operation can still be seen here and there. Those interested in geology will enjoy "reading" this landscape.

This beautiful circuit complements the existing walks and brings them together. A stroll through the vineyards, then along a golf course with a beautiful view from Roustagnon, and finally a lovely walk along the coast. The paths are very easy to find. See Practical information.

A beautiful hike along the coastal path with several coves for swimming.

The Gros Cerveau massif can be divided into three hikes. This one, in the centre, offers magnificent views of the bays of Bandol and Sanary, as well as Saint-Mandrier and Cassis. At the summit, you can visit the Gros Cerveau fortifications, consisting of abandoned military buildings. To the north, you can enjoy views of the pretty villages of La Cadière d'Azur, Le Castelet and Evenos, with the Sainte-Baume massif in the background.

This short walk is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, with beautiful views all around Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and a pleasant route that starts at the edge of vineyards, then goes under pine trees and along a rocky ridge, ending with a descent down the famous sand hill.

A picturesque little 11th-century chapel in the middle of an olive grove, an old iron mine, a peaceful and refreshing retreat and a breath of fresh air, all just a stone's throw from the town of Six-Fours: these are just some of the attractions of this short walk, which is a pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon.

This peaceful walk, a classic route around the village of La Cadière-d'Azur, will first take you through woods and vineyards, beneath the cliffs of the La Cadière plateau, before climbing up to the plateau and returning to the village via the ridges, which offer sweeping views of the Bay of Saint-Cyr, the Bay of La Ciotat and part of the Beausset Basin

A nice little hike just to relax and enjoy some beautiful views. Moderator's warning on 24 April 2021: Please note! Reviews of this hike indicate that the start of the route is difficult to find. GPS or the Visorando app are useful

You don't have to go far to take a little trip back in time. In Six-Fours, between La Coudoulière, Cap Nègre and the Sauviou corniche, by observing the rocks, you can easily travel from ages of over 500 million years to a few thousand years in just a few hundred metres.

Île des Embiez, owned by the Paul Ricard Foundation, is just a few minutes by boat from the port of Le Brusc, in the commune of Six-Fours-les-Plages. It is a small, unspoilt world where you can enjoy a day, or even several days, of complete change of scenery and freedom.

A beautiful hike in the hills above Ollioules and Sanary, off the beaten track. Exceptional views of the coastline from La Ciotat to Porquerolles, and inland from La Cadière-d'Azur to Le Revest, the Sainte-Baume mountain range and the Ollioules gorges.The hike alternates between shaded sections in the Mediterranean scrub and sunny sections on the limestone rocks of the La Colle massif.See important notes in Practical Information.

Depart from the lively little village of Sainte-Anne d'Évenos to reach the Château d'Évenos in the hills, with its magnificent view of Toulon harbour.

This is a classic walk in Sainte-Anne d'Evenos, near Toulon. It is easy as it is mainly on forest tracks, but never boring as it alternates between crossing a sometimes very dense forest around the Bérenguière valley and beautiful views of the Beausset basin, the Sainte-Baume mountain range and the bed of an intermittent river.

Climbing up to the old village of Évenos from Sainte-Anne d'Évenos is a classic in this part of western Var, but you never tire of it and, above all, the walk can be a little more rewarding each time if you take the trouble (or rather the pleasure) to look around you: this landscape has a lot to tell us.

The town of Six-Fours les Plages is actually made up of a large number of hamlets, each bearing the name of an old family. A single walk, however long, is not enough to cover them all. Here we will see only a few of them, as well as the famous Fort de Six-Fours, located on the site of the old hilltop village that has now disappeared.

Climb up to the sanctuary of Vieux Beausset via the Chemin des Oratoires, then stroll back down along small country roads through terraced olive groves and vineyards. This is a walk that can be done all year round, but I would recommend doing it in spring to appreciate the mildness of the landscape.

A short urban hike can be enjoyable, especially when the town is called Ollioules. Built in an amphitheatre at the exit of its gorges and spread out across its fertile plain, irrigated by a network that has been skilfully managed since medieval times, Ollioules has a rich heritage that is as varied as it is lovingly preserved. After the relaxing stretch of irrigation channels, the climb may seem arduous, but you will be rewarded by the panoramic views that gradually unfold before you.

Capeu Gros is one of the peaks of the Croupatier massif, whose ridge leads to Baou des Quatre Ouro. The route, an extended version of the Rinckenbach route (Cuves du Destel), first follows the bed of the Destel with handrail climbing, chains and passage through the vats. It then passes along the Croupatier ridge. On the way back, you will see the Chappe telegraph and the boundary markers of the municipalities of Ollioules and Évenos. Breathtaking views from La Ciotat to Giens, via the bay of Toulon. 25/03/2024: the route ofthe GR® 51, which passes north between the Col du Taillan and the summit of Cape Gros, has been modified and now passes between the Col de Taillan, the telegraph and the summit of Capeu Gros. The IGN map has not been updated.

This very challenging route takes the hiker to the site of the Château du Diable and its remarkable caves and the Destel gorges, with their astonishing giant's kettles or cauldrons. Nice sections with chains or ropes.

This easy hike offers beautiful panoramic views, a visit to the old hilltop village of Le Castellet, a walk through a cool valley that would not be out of place in Provence Verte, and finally a stroll through a pleasant neighbourhood of the village of Le Beausset. Please note, however, that most of the route is on tarmac, but on small roads with very little traffic.

This active route will take you through the Croupatier to the Baou de Quatre Ouro, one of the four "Toulonais brothers". Paths and ledges where you have to use your hands, passages with ropes, discover the main caves of the massif, where the famous caves of the Château du Diable make the route more interesting.

A truely beautiful balcony hike between sea and mountains towards Cape Sicié arriving at Notre-Dame de la Garde or du Mai 360 ° view.

A hike in the outskirts of Toulon where you get a 360° view of the amazing countryside. A big meeting place for spies who monitor Toulon harbour.

This walk offers magnificent views of Toulon harbour and the hinterland.

This circular hike starts from Chemin des Plaines Baronnes in La Ciotat, alternating between tracks and paths, and takes you to the summit of Le Télégraphe. The route offers some beautiful views of the Golfe d'Amour and the various surrounding mountains: Calanques, Sainte Baume, etc. Along the route, you can see the remains of ancient dwellings: jas, drystone shelters, Cade ovens, charcoal kilns... some of which have been restored by associations of enthusiasts.

This magnificent, challenging hike takes us up the Destel river with its truly unique potholes. This hike is classified as very difficult due to the passage through the gorges from (6) to (2) (a). Please note: the duration calculated by the software seems to be greatly underestimated (see reviews at the bottom of this page).

On this hike, we will approach La Roche Redonne from an original angle and describe fossil structures and a Roman bridge along the way.

A nice tour from Sainte-Anne passing by different juniper kilns producing lime and pitch.

This walk takes you through varied landscapes: undergrowth, ridges, cliffs overlooking the sea, and two hill tops with 360° views of the coast and the mountains. For the more adventurous, an optional athletic route takes you down to the foot of Cap Sicié and the sea.

The 400-hectare Janas Forest is a natural area with numerous trails that many people enjoy. I suggest a brisk half-day route to keep you in shape. The route is mainly through the woods with a few cardio sections. Everything you could want!

Short walk to reach the summit of Notre-Dame du Mai facing the Mediterranean. The 360° view is one of the most beautiful on the French Riviera. Best done early in the morning or in the evening at sunset to see the amber colours that the sun casts on the surrounding mountains, or in the middle of the day when the weather is very nice to see the azure sky and sea. Unforgettable photos and memories!

A challenging walk with magnificent views and interesting historical points of interest.

An easy hike that can be enjoyed by the whole family.Pretty paths through pine woods and heathland. ⚠️ 29/04/2025: Hike modified to follow the signposts between 5 and 3 and avoid aggressive dogs.

A long but straight-forward hike overlooking "Baie de la Ciotat" and a beautiful view over Sainte-Baume mountain range and Sainte-Victoire Mountain.

This hike starting from Grand Caunet will take you to a beautiful panorama facing the Pic de Bertagne and Sainte-Baume, from where you can look down on Cuges-les-Bains. From there, you will pass under the Barres de Font Blanche and climb back up into the Font Blanche forest via the Vallon de Carafa. On the way back, shortly before arriving, you will discover the Gouffre du Grand Caunet, a karst feature unique to the region.

This walk will surprise you with its views of all the main Provençal mountains. Perched on a rocky outcrop at the foot of a cliff, you will discover the ruins of an old village abandoned in the 17th century, as well as a pretty stone chapel. A walk in the clouds.

An easy hike with views of the Sainte Baume mountain range. Please note that the path is very steep and unstable.