Circular South of Massoins, return via the Var

Coming from Nice, take the Malaussène road and park in the car park just after the railway bridge.

(S/E) Head downhill onto the Route des Alpes and cross at the stop sign, taking great care as this is a busy road. Cross the old suspension bridge called Auguste Dubois. This crossing is narrow. Walk in the centre of the bridge, forcing vehicles to stop and thank you for letting them pass. At the end of the bridge, marker 64 invites you to follow the direction of Massoins. Yellow markings in place

(1) Walk carefully along the Route du Camp du Var. The trail resumes just after the first bend and reaches the road at marker 65.

(2) Cross the road with caution. Follow the signs for Massoins, then arrive at the crossroads at marker 66, which is incorrectly positioned on the map.

(3) Turn right, cross the stream at a small building and continue along the path. After about 100 metres, cross the road with caution. Cross to the other side and access the rear of the Saint-Sébastien Chapel via a small wooded passage. Once you have seen the restored chapel, rejoin the road below and turn right, proceeding with caution for about thirty metres. You will reach marker 67.

(4) Follow the signs for Massoins. Walk alongside private properties. Enter Massoins via a wide path lined with an ancient wall. Steps and a porch lead to the village's main street. Continue to the crossroads at marker 68.

(5) Turn left. Continue straight ahead, walk along the Placeto and its fountain covered in greenery, observe the old stones, until you reach the church and its wash house where a map of the medieval village of Massoins is displayed in ceramic.
Turn around and take the same street, passing marker 68 again to reach Plaça dou Valat, then Place Cassette. Turn right to take the Vé lou Pla climb - orientation table. After a few steps, this climb leads to La Cassette. At the highest point of the village, enjoy the view and the orientation table. Turn around and return to the square. After a few metres on the main street, turn left onto Carriero dou Fournet, which turns into a path that sometimes overlooks the Var valley. Continue along this path. A winding descent leads to a crossroads marked by a cairn. Turn right onto the path, which continues downhill, and join the road at the houses in Parans.

(6) Walk to the bend in the road and take the track on the left of the house. The track disappears and turns into marl. Just before the woods, turn left below the marl. Follow the descending path. There are a few cairns. Then, with the Var in sight, the path disappears. Follow the trail through the vegetation and keep a sharp eye out as you walk above the banks of the Var, in the middle of the Dos de l'Éléphant. The trail only descends once it is no longer dangerous. Reach the left bank of the Var.

(7) Turn right and walk over the pebbles and sand. You will reach the end of this sandy area.

(8) Make your way to the right for about ten metres before reaching a road. Take it to the left and carefully make your way to the bridge car park . ( S/E)

No markings after Massoins.
Do not hike during or after a storm: danger.
Between (S/E) and (1): on the bridge, check the level of the Var river as the return route passes along the riverbank.
Between (6) and (8), GPS or the Visorando app is essential for accessing the Camp du Var road.
Hiking boots and walking sticks recommended. Rocky terrain.
There is a water source in the village.
Useful tip: bring pruning shears.

(S/E): the suspension bridge. In 1912, the fragile suspension bridge dating from 1869, which could only support the passage of mules, was on the verge of collapsing, threatening to cut off Massoins' vital access to Malaussène station and the Nice-Digne railway line. Finally, in 1931, this new bridge, light but solid, was built. 2.50 m wide and made of a single 44 m span, the larch wood deck is supported by 44 rods that suspend it from the cables.
(S/E): La Cassette, remains of defensive structures and chapel. This name refers to a rocky promontory at the southern end of the village where the old 14th-century castle once stood, followed by the chapel known as the Confrérie de la Miséricorde or the Black Penitents, built in 1743.
(4) Saint Sebastian Chapel: its construction appears to date from between the mid-15th century and the^first quarter of the 16th century. Dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the sanctuary was built to protect the village from the plague, which the saint was believed to ward off.