Castellaras de la Malle and the summit of La Colle from Col du Pilon

This is a classic hike to the summit of La Colle, which offers exceptional views of the Côte d'Azur and the Grasse Pre-Alps. The fairly steep climb between points (1) and (2) passes through a beautiful oak forest, then a pine forest, before crossing Castellaras de la Malle, a prehistoric camp surrounded by a well-preserved rampart.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.00 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 452 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 452 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,234 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 782 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Go to Col du Pilon on the Route Napoléon, between Grasse and Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey. Park opposite the ZAC du Pilon. There are a few parking spaces near marker 56, which marks the start of the hike.

(S/E) Follow the track from the "Castellaras de la Malle" sign, then the path that climbs north-northwest (yellow markings).

(1) At marker 57, climb to the right. Go around a ruined building and follow the path to marker 58.

(2) Turn right and follow the path to marker 58a (yellow markings). Leave the return path that descends along the ridge line on your right, if you see it.

(3) Take the path that climbs to the right towards Castellaras. Cross the site heading to the left. On this section, it is best to follow the red markings, which have been repainted recently.

(4) At the exit of Castellaras, follow the path that descends for a few metres, then climbs back up towards the south (red markings) and reaches a fork.

(5) Leave the red-marked path to the left, which leads to Le Doublier, and continue straight ahead, keeping your eyes on a large cairn at the top of La Colle (old yellow markings). Once you reach the top of the Colle, you can enjoy a 360° panorama of Le Thiey, the Colle du Maçon, the Château de la Malle, and to the south, the Estérel and the coast. Turn right and descend along the ridge towards the north-west. The trail is not very well marked, but there are a few partially faded yellow markers. This will take you back to the path you took on the way up.

(2) Follow the ascent route in reverse to return to the Col du Pilon (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 782 m - Col du Pilon
  2. 1 : km 1.81 - alt. 933 m - Marker 57
  3. 2 : km 2.64 - alt. 1,093 m - Marker 58
  4. 3 : km 3.63 - alt. 1,161 m - Marker 58a
  5. 4 : km 3.96 - alt. 1,212 m - Castellaras de la Malle
  6. 5 : km 4.27 - alt. 1,228 m - Doublier-la Colle fork
  7. S/E : km 8 - alt. 782 m - Col du Pilon

Notes

The ridge is rocky, so make sure you wear good shoes! The climb between point (1) and point (2) is steep and therefore a little slippery on the way down.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Toal
Toal

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with a magnificent view, weather permitting.
Easy to follow if you take the above comments into account, on stony ground requiring walking sticks and good footwear.

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François Fritsch
François Fritsch

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Follow the yellow route of the regional council. After the glue, look carefully for the cairns and yellow markings.
Beautiful view of the Pilon meadow!

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ROLLETB
ROLLETB

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with beautiful views, but the landscapes you pass through are not particularly interesting (except for the panorama). I think the time estimate is greatly overestimated, as it took me 2½ hours, including a 2 km circular and without walking very fast

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JLI06
JLI06

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Just to say that the red markings mentioned in the description have been removed (covered with grey paint, the colour of the rock). However, yellow markings have just been repainted and are very clear, both on the way up and on the way down. A very pleasant hike. The Castelaras site is impressive. I won't mention the view from the summit: the weather was cloudy that day.

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cathy asoa
cathy asoa

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Taken in December, under blue skies, the views from the summit are magnificent. A few drystone shelters dot the route. A lovely walk.

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MartinedeValbonne
MartinedeValbonne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful, well-marked route with little shade. Best enjoyed in spring or autumn. Lots of scenic viewpoints along the way, and a 360-degree view at the summit as a reward. Be sure to wear sturdy footwear as there are many rocks along the way.

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yves.drapp
yves.drapp

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with a moderately difficult uphill section at the start. Castellaras is an impressive oppidum that is well worth a visit. Beautiful view from the summit.

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Nicolas D.
Nicolas D.
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice views, pleasant undergrowth, but the trail does become somewhat unclear at the summit, so pay attention to the GPS track at this point, or use the ridge as a landmark (at this point, you have passed the turning point).

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Youmino9172
Youmino9172

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The climb to Castellaras de la Malle is along a stony, rocky path that climbs steadily. It is a bit monotonous and quite physically demanding, although there are no real technical difficulties, apart from the risk of stones rolling underfoot on the descent.
Fortunately, the view from the top is magnificent, even though the sky was foggy that day.
At the start of the descent, the route is poorly marked and rocky in places. You have to follow the ridge before finding the path you took on the way up and descending towards the Col du Pilon.
All in all, a beautiful view at the summit, but a little too many rocks for our liking...

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patouschmol
patouschmol

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very stony path, difficult to descend, route would be improved by changing the return route.

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Mario Simard
Mario Simard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike. Varied landscapes and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valleys... and yes, of the sea and the snow-capped peaks of the Mercantour too.

And, of course, the highest point, both literally and figuratively, is the ruins of La Malle camp. When you realise that these imposing walls were built during the Iron Age, over 2,000 years ago...

On the practical side, the hike is not particularly difficult, but wear good shoes as the trail is rocky. Walking poles are also useful for the descent.

Thank you, Tebo.

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Krysia
Krysia

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I didn't know this site, even though I had already hiked on Mount Thiey... very interesting, the walk through the forest is very pleasant and the views of the coast are lovely.

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Espedaillac
Espedaillac

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, thank you for this hike that I did two years ago, starting from Caussols. The Castellaras site is exceptional. A nice half-day hike. In this pre-Alpine area, it is essential to wear suitable footwear, even in dry weather. The path is more challenging on the descent from the summit of La Colle on the ridge on the way back. Be careful as there are few or no markings, but it is not difficult to find the path back up.

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