Malavalettes Route

A short, easy walk in the heart of nature, with varied landscapes in the heart of the Estérel. The paths wind through eucalyptus, pine and cork oak trees. A quiet route on unmarked paths.

Details

68857183
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.67 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 182 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 180 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 383 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 189 m

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the Malpey Forest House, which can be reached via a short track, Route du Malpey, from the Col du Testanier, on the DN7 between Fréjus and Mandelieu.

(S/E) Walk past the forest house and continue straight on, along Route d’Italie. Follow this narrow tarmac road, then take the path on the left leading downhill, signposted ‘Porfait’. You will reach the Cantine du Porfait, a former forest house.

(1) Take the wide path opposite which goes round the summit of Petit Forfait (359 m) and continue to its end.

(2) Turn right onto the path that winds down into a small valley.

(3) Cross the stream bed, which is usually dry, and climb to the right up the opposite slope to the Piste des Malavettes.

(4) Follow the track to the left and climb up to an inverted Y-junction (Route des Cols).

(5) Follow it straight on. At the next junction, continue along the tarmac road to reach the Malpey Forest House and the car park on the right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 360 m - Car park at the - Maison forestière du Malpey
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 341 m - Cantine du Porfait
  3. 2 : km 1.95 - alt. 267 m - Junction
  4. 3 : km 3.17 - alt. 189 m - Stream crossing
  5. 4 : km 3.66 - alt. 277 m - Malavettes Trail
  6. 5 : km 5.32 - alt. 356 m - Route des Cols
  7. S/E : km 6.67 - alt. 360 m - Car park at the - Maison forestière du Malpey

Notes

As the route is not signposted, it is recommended that you have an IGN map or the Visorando app. The route includes some very stony paths; suitable footwear is required.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
User 27448751
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Visiorando is easy to use and very comprehensive; I highly recommend it.
An easy route suitable for many people, perfect for a half-day walk. My 77-year-old mother and my 80-year-old stepfather managed it without any difficulty.

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User 3078867

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This route is described as "easy", but that's not the case for everyone: you have to cross several streams with little water, but which have severely eroded the path (it's dangerous in places). As experienced hikers who have been hiking regularly for a long time, we still had to turn back.

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fabriv
fabriv

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

best avoided after several days of rain, but otherwise a very good route

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LCXB
LCXB

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
this route is rated as “easy” on Visorando.
Right from the start (marked 1), there is a steep descent with loose stones, which is made all the more difficult by the fact that there is nothing to hold on to...
I therefore consider this hike to be rather "difficult".
It’s a shame because the location is magnificent.
Kind regards.

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LCXB
LCXB
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This Malavalettes route is rated as "easy", yet at point 2 (where you take the wide path that goes round the summit of Petit Porfait), there is a fairly difficult descent with loose stones and nowhere to hold on to...
So, for me, this route is “difficult”!

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GERARD FABRELLO
GERARD FABRELLO

This walk has been saved for a later date

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