Le Gros Cerveau, central section

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The Gros Cerveau massif can be divided into three hikes. This one, in the centre, offers magnificent views of the bays of Bandol and Sanary, as well as Saint-Mandrier and Cassis. At the summit, you can visit the Gros Cerveau fortifications, consisting of abandoned military buildings. To the north, you can enjoy views of the pretty villages of La Cadière d'Azur, Le Castelet and Evenos, with the Sainte-Baume massif in the background.

Details

n°489190
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 323 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 324 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 429 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 100 m
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Photos

The Bay of Toulon from Gros Cerveau
At the cistern, take the path on the left
Trailhead
Herd of goats

Description of the walk

A few parking spaces are available at 1274, Chemin du Gourd in Sanary.

(S/E) To start the hike, go behind the barrier and take the sandy path called Piste Adjudant-Chef Jean-Paul Siri. Continue for about 800 m, following several bends and curves.

(1) Take the blue-marked trail on your right. Continue climbing on the main trail until you reach the D2220. Follow the departmental road to the right for 200 metres until you reach the cistern.

(2) Take the path on the left and then immediately turn right to reach the Gros Cerveau structure. Enjoy the various views of the quarry and Bandol Bay as you pass by.

(3) At the orientation table, you can visit the various abandoned buildings by taking the path on the left (a detour not shown on the map). Then head to the picnic area at the first hairpin bend on the right.

Start the descent via the winding path that joins the D2220. Once on the departmental road, turn left towards the south-south-east. Continue along the road bordered by a low wall on the right.

(4) At the end of the low wall, take the first hairpin bend to the right. Continue downhill, following the marked path.

(5) At the first crossroads, stay on the main road by turning right. At the next crossroads, take the hairpin bend to the right and then leave a path on your right, about 250 m further on, to continue straight ahead and join the cement path.

(6) Go down this dead-end road on the left and join the Chemin des Hauts du Lançon.

(7) Turn right and continue straight ahead on the main road until you reach the bend marked on the left. Then turn right onto Chemin du Gourg to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 145 m - Small car park on Chemin du Gourg
  2. 1 : km 0.79 - alt. 210 m - Blue trail on the right
  3. 2 : km 2.08 - alt. 350 m - Cistern
  4. 3 : km 2.86 - alt. 429 m - Orientation table
  5. 4 : km 4.84 - alt. 297 m - Signposted trail on the right
  6. 5 : km 5.36 - alt. 210 m - Crossroads, right
  7. 6 : km 5.83 - alt. 137 m - Turn left into the cul-de-sac
  8. 7 : km 6.05 - alt. 110 m - Chemin des Hauts du Lançon, on the right
  9. S/E : km 7.02 - alt. 144 m - Small car park on Chemin du Gourg

Notes

There are no water sources along the route.
Wear good walking shoes with high tops due to the stony paths.

Worth a visit

You can visit the abandoned military buildings at Gros Cerveau.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 31 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
stjo
stjo

@User 3019793: So where did you park?
Thank you.

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User 3019793

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A nice little hike done with an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old (who are good walkers).
Some sections are a bit technical for children, requiring them to use their hands, which adds a touch of adventure.
Other sections are on roads/paths without much interest, but the scenery is always very pleasant.

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salgechristine
salgechristine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great view! Very accessible hike. However, it is not possible to park at the starting point. A no parking sign has been put up, and it is difficult to find a place to park that is not too far away

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stjo
stjo

@JuL63 Can you tell me where you parked? I'm interested because I'd like to do that route myself. Thanks in advance.
stjo

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JuL63
JuL63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

⚠️ There is no parking at the starting point of the hike, as indicated by a no parking sign.
Otherwise, the hike is great 👍

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Koduntu
Koduntu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Really nice with a magnificent view. Family hike, the children had a great time.

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Mesylda
Mesylda

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, easy hike that takes you past the renovated old fort
A few tricky sections as it's quite stony, but nothing too difficult
However, there is nowhere to park at the start. There is a small dirt parking area, but it is marked with no parking signs
And contrary to what is stated in the description, there is no parking at 1274 Chemin du Gourd either
I left my car in the small spot anyway, knowing that it was the end of May and there was no one around, but I think it's risky, especially in summer, as you might find your car towed away

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lemarcheur65
lemarcheur65 ★

Update of departure address:
A few parking spaces are available at 1274 Chemin du Gourd in Sanary.

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Gilbert13009
Gilbert13009

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent view of the coast at Gros Cerveau - from Toulon harbour to the Bec de l'Aigle - by taking the detour mentioned above. The site is a large plateau where you can picnic in a group while admiring the view.
Pay close attention to the cairn on the right at point 1 to find the path. To reach the summit, after point 2, the path leads to a series of small rocky outcrops where the very patchy red and white markings do not really help you to progress easily. Is there another way through?
Despite everything, it's a beautiful walk on generally easy trails, except for the rather rocky descent.
Thank you for this suggestion.

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Faron
Faron

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

For your information, the military buildings have been restored and are no longer open to visitors, as is the blockhouse, which has been walled up. Also worth noting is the permanent presence of a herd of goats

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stjo
stjo

Well, it's no big deal, it must be a small oversight in the writing.
Similarly, it's not the road to "Gourg" but to "Gourd". No big deal there either.
And if you need to call for help, @McBly, I doubt it's at the starting line!

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McBly
McBly

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

The departure point is in Sanary, not Ollioules, which is where the hike takes place.
This is important to know in the unfortunate event that you need to call for help, which I hope will not be necessary.

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McBly
McBly

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb views across the coast
No one around during the week!

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freetime
freetime

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant short hike with goats and kids welcoming you at the summit.

Very beautiful scenery - No difficult terrain

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Olivier TESTU
Olivier TESTU

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A pleasant hike during the week but not at the weekend when the weather is nice, as the summit is a Sunday stroll for local residents, which means it gets quite busy and noisy for my liking. The rest of the hike takes place in pleasant surroundings that are less accessible. However, I will return for the historical aspect of the site when the fort (currently under construction) has been rebuilt and perhaps opened to the public...I'm not a bear, but I like to enjoy nature and earn the view with my own efforts
Forget or ignore the route on the map. It changes from red in the first part to blue in the second, and ends up disappearing completely if you follow the route on the map or app.
The only difficulty is the difference in height between points 1 and 2. There are no other difficulties, but be careful of the cliff on the north side when you are walking (I am thinking of young children or excited teenagers who are fearless).
Best regards!

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