Cipières walks

A magnificent hike through the wild, karst landscapes of the Grasse Pre-Alps. As a bonus, a very well-preserved drystone shelter.

This short but challenging hike starts in Cipières, a village at the foot of the Calern plateau facing the Cheiron massif, and takes you to the banks of the Loup, a 49km coastal river (the second longest in the Alpes-Maritimes) through deciduous forests. Once you reach the banks of the Loup, you will walk along the buried Foulon aqueduct, which supplies water to Grasse and the surrounding area. Unfortunately, although the river is right by the path, it remains difficult to access.

Superb hike along a long ridge with endless views across the entire department. The hike is quite long but can be extended for the more athletic by passing through Coursegoules or even Bézaudin. The luckiest hikers will catch a glimpse of Corsica in good weather. It is common to see chamois and marmots. The return via Vespluis and Les Miroirs (no difficulty) allows you to admire the entire ridge and the south-facing slope of this mountain in pastoral tranquillity.

This sunny walk, at the foot of the rocky ridges of the Montagne du Cheiron, offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Calern plateau, Cipières and the Loup valley. The walk starts near the Tourist Office, by the D2 road, then climbs towards the Font d’Antony before descending to the ruins of the old medieval village of Les Hautes-Gréolières, where you can still admire the Chapel of Saint-Étienne. The route then descends via a wide, stony path which quickly leads back to the village and the starting point. After this journey into the past, take a stroll through the bustling streets of the modern-day village.

Starting from Tourounet, this mostly shaded route will take you to the Saint-Barnabé plateau, then to the outskirts of the village of Coursegoules, before descending via an ancient Roman road lined with pine and oak trees back to Tourounet.

Circular walk starting from the new car park in Saint-Pons (commune of Gréolières) towards Coursegoules, passing under the Cheiron. A very varied route passing by the 6th-century Saint-Michel Chapel. Return via the Chemin de l'Autreville and the Vespluis and Taillet valleys, with a small ford that is easy to cross. Ideal for a full day out with a nice stop in Coursegoules: restaurant or picnic, bakery and water point.

After a walk through a beautiful forest of scattered oak trees, this little-known peak is a stunning summit that can be climbed with little difficulty. The villages of Cipières and Gréolières are visible in the view. A wonderful discovery.

Starting from Bramafan, the trail climbs under the pine and beech trees on the cool, quiet north-facing slope. The mossy ground absorbs your footsteps, and the air smells of resin and damp earth. Between two pale rocks, the view opens up onto the Loup valley and the Cheiron ridges. Gradually, the forest thins out and olive trees herald Cipières, perched on its luminous spur, after a leisurely walk of about ten kilometres. The descent to the river is calm and the path sometimes enigmatic, but you'll get there. Return via the Canal de Foulon.

The hike starts with an uphill climb to Pré de Marthe, where you can enjoy a view of Montagne du Cheiron. At Baisse de Saint-Barnabé, you can visit the magnificent Oratoire de Saint-Jean-Baptiste. The return journey takes you through the village of Courmes, which is well worth a visit.

Cime du Cheiron via a trail that is little known to walkers. This trail has been cleared by our club and marked with cairns. Moderator's note description from 2013; the situation on the ground seems to have changed with regard to the cairns marking certain sections. See reviews. GPS or Visorando app useful.

After learning about the work carried out by the Calern Astronomical Observatory, this hike takes you along one of the longest ridges in the region, offering magnificent panoramic views of the karst plateau, the Caussols plain, the middle country and the Mercantour.

The Calern plateau above Caussols is extraordinary for its botanical diversity, karstic relief, sinkholes, karstic caves and collapses. This hike reveals an agricultural heritage of cleared sinkholes, dry stone enclosures and huts, and piles of stones that decorate the landscape. In May, the dew adds a touch of magic to the wild orchids, ball thyme and budding lavender.

Starting from the Gréolières-les-Neiges resort, this short circular hike will take you to the Cime du Cheiron, the highest point of the massif of the same name. You will then follow the ridge to Jérusalem for some magnificent views of the Mercantour and the plateaus further south, Saint-Barnabé, Calern and Caussols, before descending via the slopes. During this hike, you may encounter vultures, chamois and even marmots.

A short hike to enjoy between late April and mid-June to admire the peonies in bloom.Much of the route is through woodland, so it stays cool during hot weather.This mid-mountain walk is a great way to enjoy the area outside the ski season.

A beautiful snowshoe hike (or not in winter) with no difficulty and panoramic views of the Mercantour peaks and the French Riviera on a clear day. After a pleasant first section in the Cheiron forest, you cross a small valley before climbing up to Plan des Baumetes and reaching the Crête du Cheiron at Croix de Verse (1,706 m). 360° view of the sea at Argentera!

A magnificent hike passing Croix de Verse, Jérusalem and Cime du Cheiron in Gréolières les Neiges. Not particularly difficult, with a 360° view between the peaks of Mercantour, Vallée du Loup and the Mediterranean on a clear day. Depending on the season, paragliders take off from the route.

A short circular hike above the village of Courmes, ideal during the deer rut at dawn or dusk. Thrills guaranteed! A brief stop on the Saint-Barnabé plateau offers beautiful views of the Cheiron massif to the north and the village of Gourdon overlooking the Gorges du Loup to the south.

A very pretty walk in the forest, cool, flowery and rural with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Take the opportunity to visit Courmes, a charming little mountain village.

Starting from the small village of Courmes, you will climb up to the Plateau Saint-Barnabé to ascend the Puy de Tourrettes, a mountain whose summit plateau offers views of the Mercantour and the coast. After a short descent, you will climb back up to the Pic de Courmettes, a pretty viewpoint with a 360° panorama of the Loup valley, the Cheiron massif and the Cap Ferrat coastline in the Estérel. After a steep descent along the western ridge, you will return to the village at a leisurely pace through the forest.

A short, easy hike to discover the beautiful landscapes between the Gorges du Loup, the Plateau Saint-Barnabé and the Cheiron Massif. Le Pré Royer is a beautiful area of successive clearings above the Bramafan forest. During the rutting season, you can hear many deer at dusk or dawn.

A beautiful hike offering views from the Gorges du Loup to the Mediterranean coastline, with Théoule-sur-Mer in the background.The karst plateau of Saint-Barnabé, shaped by erosion, is mainly covered with stony moorland.

A beautiful circular starting from Caussols, which first leads to the summit of Montet and then to that of Haut Montet. Magnificent and varied landscapes, exceptional views.

This unusual route for the region will take you past limestone rocks sculpted by erosion, including a cave chapel which you can visit. You will pass through the facilities of the Côte d'Azur Astronomical Observatory. This loop will then take you on a journey through 2,000 years of history along a Roman road through the woods. The final section, through stone enclosures and old sheepfolds, bears witness to a pastoral past.

Notre-Dame de Calern, the cave chapel overlooking the small village of Caussols, leaves no one indifferent. Located on the southern slope of the Calern plateau, this place of devotion and fervour is the site of an annual pilgrimage on 15 August.

Short hike to the summit of the Causse de Calern, where the panorama is remarkable with views of the coastline in the distance, the Caussols Plateau, and the peaks of Cheiron and Mercantour. On the way, visit Notre-Dame de Calern, a cave converted into a chapel.

This hike of around 15 km takes you across the Calern plateau to its summit, allowing you to appreciate its karstic landscape, particularly the sinkhole, and to discover along the way the Notre-Dame de Calern cave-chapel as well as the Calern observatory site with its “bubble houses”.