Short walk in the Calanques de Piana, mainly through woodland, from Tête de Chien to a viewpoint overlooking the fortified castle.
Country:
France
District:
Piana (20115) 
Park in the small car park at "Tête de Chien", located about 4km from Piana in the direction of Porto.
(S/E) From the Tête de Chien car park, cross the road to reach the starting point and follow the yellow markings to the viewpoint.
(1) At the viewpoint, enjoy the view of the fortified castle and the turquoise water below.
Return to the car park via the same route (S/E).
The route is mainly through woodland
Good shoes are recommended as the path has many sections on stones that can be slippery.
No particular difficulties, but some steep sections
Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
The walk is pleasant. Many sections are a little tricky on the rocks, so caution is advised for a family outing.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
Very short and easily accessible hike
We didn't see the fortified castle
Easy to do with children
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
Short and easy hike, nothing more than that
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
The dog's head is very easy to find (two rocks forming a dog's head in a bend) and you can easily park at the foot of the road on either side. The hiking trail is very well marked. It is not long but has lots of rocks to climb up and down and roots that require good mobility. Closed, non-slip shoes are highly recommended. The view of the bay is magnificent throughout the route. The end is remarkable, facing the Scandola Nature Reserve on one side and the rock columns of the Calanques de Piana on the other. All overlooking crystal clear water. In short, this hike is well worth the detour. Allow an hour for the round trip if you take it at a leisurely pace (without stopping to take photos 😎). As you will have gathered, the "castle" is not (in my opinion) the highlight of the show; it is represented by a large rock in the middle of the route.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
Coming from Piana, there is a small car park 200 metres from the start of the hike, which is a little less busy. I couldn't find the rock shaped like a dog's head at the start of the trail. It's short, with some beautiful views. The trail is well signposted, but there are some large steps that could be difficult for people with reduced mobility.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
A short round trip walk (less than 2 km) offering magnificent views (ideal for a picnic before heading back).
I didn't quite understand what the castle was (an old fort or rocks that look like one?), but it doesn't matter because the landscape is superb, full of contrasting colours and light. Some sections can be difficult for people who aren't very fit, as you sometimes have to use your hands to climb up or down.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Apr 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
A short round trip walk (2 km) offering magnificent views (ideal for a picnic before heading back).
I didn't quite understand what the castle was (an old fort or rocks that look like one?), but it doesn't matter because the landscape is superb, full of contrasting colours and light. Some sections can be difficult for people who aren't very fit, as you sometimes have to use your hands to climb up or down.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
nice short walk
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Oct 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
easy and short hike
very beautiful viewpoint
done at the end of October at the end of the day and met a few hikers
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : May 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
A pleasant stop during our quick visit to the Calanques de Piana. The trail is not particularly difficult. However, it is extremely popular, even in May. Avoid it if you prefer trails where you can feel alone.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
Nice
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Overall rating : 3.7 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes
Very short parish-specific to Brittany hike, best avoided during the summer unless you set off early in the morning. You can find more information about this hike on the official Calanques de Piana website.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
A quick little hike to do in the morning to avoid the crowds.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : May 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
An easy, short walk through the woods from the road where you can park (check during high season), offering magnificent views of the Gulf of Porto and unique perspectives on the vertiginous walls of the Calanques de Piana.
This completes the view of the calanques from the Porto-Piana coastal road.
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