Route des Six Passes from the Rague Valley

Panoramic views of the Esterel massif, then of Théoule Bay, Mandelieu and the Lérins Islands, Cannes.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.22 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,768 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,768 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,063 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the end of the Vallon de la Rague. No difficulty finding a parking space, but be aware that the road is in poor condition and ends in a cul-de-sac.

(S/E) Take a track on the left (when facing away from the sea) and head south-west.

(1) At the first fork, keep to the right (leave the track on the left, which will be the return route). Head generally south, keeping the Rague on your right.

(2) Further on, at another Fork in the road, turn right, cross the Rague and head slightly uphill. On a flat section, turn left. Climb and follow the track which, further on, begins a descent to the junction with another track.

(3) Then follow the track to the left. Climb steadily up to the Col de la Cadière.

(4) Continue left (south-east) on a tarmac track. Stay on this track, which climbs gently, to the Col Notre-Dame (stunning view of the Mediterranean).

(5) Then head left towards the Col du Trayas. The track descends and reaches a junction (with a wayside shrine on the embankment to the left).

(6) Turn left and continue over the undulating terrain.

(7) At the Col du Trayas, take the track on the right and follow it to the Col des Monges.

(8) Turn sharply right and follow a track that descends easily to the Col de Théoule (ignore all side paths).

(9) Continue along the track opposite. Ignore theGR®51, which branches off to the left onto a path, and stay on the track.

(10) Continue along the track which theGR® has joined. Pass through a gate and, at the Fork in the road, turn left onto Rue Jean-Baptiste Pastor.

(11) At the roundabout, continue along Avenue Charles Dahon. Cross the junction and head for the beach.

(12) Turn left and head towards the harbour, continuing on to the Harbour Master’s Office.

(13) Just after a few steps, turn left and go through the tunnel under the railway line. Continue along Rue du Languedoc.

(14) At the junction, turn left and head steeply uphill. Walk through the eucalyptus trees to reach the small pass of Collet de l'Autel.

(15) Then veer right, go through a gate and follow a track.

(16) You’ll come out onto another track; follow it to the right and pass a water tank.

(17) At the crossroads (water tank), turn left onto a track heading downhill. After several bends, you will reach the junction you passed at the very start of the walk.

(1) Turn right and you will quickly reach the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 203 ft - Vallon de la Rague
  2. 1 : mi 0.08 - alt. 223 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.49 - alt. 266 ft - Fork in the road
  4. 3 : mi 1.33 - alt. 436 ft - Crossroads
  5. 4 : mi 2.06 - alt. 794 ft - Col de la Cadière
  6. 5 : mi 3.51 - alt. 1,063 ft - Col Notre-Dame
  7. 6 : mi 3.79 - alt. 886 ft - Pic Martin (238m)
  8. 7 : mi 5.13 - alt. 814 ft - Col du Trayas
  9. 8 : mi 5.39 - alt. 768 ft - Col des Monges
  10. 9 : mi 6.46 - alt. 404 ft - Col de Théoule (122m)
  11. 10 : mi 7.38 - alt. 102 ft - Junction with the GR51
  12. 11 : mi 7.84 - alt. 13 ft - Roundabout
  13. 12 : mi 8.02 - alt. 7 ft - Théoule
  14. 13 : mi 8.24 - alt. 3 ft - Port de Théoule
  15. 14 : mi 8.46 - alt. 43 ft - Junction
  16. 15 : mi 8.95 - alt. 341 ft - Small pass of the Autel
  17. 16 : mi 9.74 - alt. 633 ft - Crossroads
  18. 17 : mi 10.08 - alt. 633 ft - Crossroads - Marker 525
  19. S/E : mi 11.22 - alt. 203 ft - Vallon de la Rague

Notes

No drinking water available. Avoid the mountain range in summer during hot weather and strong winds; furthermore, it may be closed.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Guigui_la_bricole
Guigui_la_bricole

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely route through the Estérel, mainly along beautiful tracks, which were quiet during the 8 May bank holiday weekend.
However, please note that there is a complete closure in the Autel Valley (due to bridge repairs), just before reaching Théoule. Thanks to the IGN map, we found a path on the right which allowed us to reach a road running along the ridge, involving an additional climb of 70–80 metres.
Crossing through Théoule is indeed of little interest, and bypassing it is certainly a worthwhile option.

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Amaury I
Amaury I

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A hike completed in 4½ hours, not including breaks, and without rushing too much, on 6 January
In lovely weather: blue skies, the sea and the beautiful red rocks of the Estérel.
Best avoided in summer, as there is little shade.
A lovely variety of landscapes, all the way to the seaside and the port of Théoule.
After that, it’s the Estérel, so mostly fairly wide tracks (came across lots of bikes) rather than proper paths.
You may or may not like it, but the pace is very pleasant.
Thank you!

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Espedaillac
Espedaillac

Thank you. The Esterel massif is ideal for leisurely hikes tailored to your needs in autumn or winter

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Pcours
Pcours

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We shortened the circular route by cutting out the section to Théoule, which I don’t find particularly interesting, and climbed up to the Monges rocks (stunning views)
An easy walk along wide paths with no significant climbs.

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