Col de Vence (Alpes-Maritimes) walks

An easy hike in spring or autumn. At the top of the Baou, there is a magnificent view of the French Riviera with a very accurate orientation table to identify the points along the coast and the surrounding peaks.

A magnificent walk offering numerous views of the sea, the Var valley, and the coast with its various towns, headlands and islands (with a bit of luck, you might spot Corsica, Sainte-Victoire and the Mercantour peaks). However, this walk is challenging due to its length and elevation gain, and is therefore only suitable for fit walkers. Moderator update on 6 April 2021: Please note! There is a private property issue between (11) and (12). See the suggestion in the description and in the reviews dated 24 April 2021.

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!

In search of the route of the Siagne Canal between the Saint-Mathieu district in Grasse and Cannes. This hike is over 20 km long but is not difficult. The return journey will be from Cannes station, where you can take either the train or the bus to Grasse station.

This walk is a variation on the second stage of the four-stage tour of the hills of Nice. It allows you to shorten this second stage slightly and admire the Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez and the Monastery of Cimiez. Starting from the Comte de Falicon tram stop, you first walk along the Place de la Fontaine du Temple and cross the Maurice Mouchan Garden and the new Parc du Ray. After crossing Avenue du Ray, you reach Parc Chambrun from the south and, via the Saint-Maurice district, the Vieux Chemin de Gairaut and theGRP® Les Collines de Nice, which climb northwards. Much of the walk then follows the Canal de Gairaut eastwards and descends due south towards Nice through the Quatre Chemins district. Finally, you cross the Jardin des Arènes to reach the Monastery of Cimiez and head down to the Pasteur University Hospital to catch the tram either at Pasteur or Saint-Charles.

This is the first stage of the Nice hills tour. This semi-urban hike starts at the Libération tram stop in the heart of Nice. It runs alongside the Gare du Sud railway station and then the Chemins de Fer de Provence railway station and railway line with its blue trains. After crossing the Mantega district, below the Palais du Righi, the hike climbs up a somewhat forgotten path on Pessicart hill. After circling Pessicart hill to admire the greenhouses and the Baou de Saint-Jeannet, the hike descends back to Nice. It then crosses the La Clua municipal nature park and passes by the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Saint-Sylvestre neighbourhood, finally arriving at the Comte de Falicon tram stop.

This unique one-way hike (allow for two vehicles) takes you up Mont Arpasse via the little-used south-eastern route. The final stretch is a path nearly 3 km long, sometimes carved into the cliff face, steep and vertiginous, clinging to the mountainous western flank of Mont Arpasse. It was built by the constructors of the Vésubie Canal in the 1870s and offers views of the Var throughout. The section between marker 296 and the finish is reserved for experienced walkers.

This walk takes you along the entire length of the promenade in Nice, between the harbour and Parc Phoenix next to the airport. You will also explore Castle Hill Park (Parc de la Colline du Château), a 19 hectare maze of greenery perched high up above Nice old town, with many areas to be discovered including an impressive waterfall.

This third stage of the tour of the hills of Nice starts at the Saint-Charles tram stop on line 1 and climbs through the Saint-Charles district on the western flank of Mont Vinaigrier. From Mont Vinaigrier, it descends due south to the Col de Villefranche before climbing back up to Mont Alban and, after a loop around the Fort de Mont Boron, descends again to the port of Nice and finally reaches the Place Garibaldi tram stop via the Port district. The walk follows a beautiful ridge line and is certainly the most ‘natural’ stage of the Tour des Collines de Nice. The views over the bay of Villefranche and Cap Ferrat are magnificent.

The first stage of the journey through the Haut Estéron region: the landscapes are magnificent and the area extremely wild; we didn’t come across a single other hiker. The trails are varied and well-marked. We’ll set off from the village of Le Mas to reach Amirat (lodge) via the Charamel mountain and the village of Les Mujouls.