Le Haut Montet

de fr

A beautiful circular starting from Caussols, which first leads to the summit of Montet and then to that of Haut Montet. Magnificent and varied landscapes, exceptional views.

Details

n°42912705
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.23 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 303 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 311 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,334 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,081 m
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Photos

Rock formations
Meadows and rockery
At the summit of Haut Montet
Radar station

Description of the walk

The walk starts in the village of Caussols, where there is free parking. Here, along the D12, next to the roundabout.

(S/E) Cross the roundabout and turn right, then left towards the school and town hall car park.

(1) Leave the car park by turning right behind the school. You will come out onto a small track.

(2) Turn left towards the hill, then veer right at the ruins.

(3) Leave the track and follow a path on the left. Continue straight ahead until you reach a small road.

(4) Follow this road in the same direction until you reach the Fruste crossroads.

(5) Continue straight ahead on a wide dirt track. Keep heading south, ignoring the adjacent tracks.

(6) Take a path that branches off to the left in front of the entrance to a property. The ascent begins and will last 4 km to the summit of Haut Montet, marked by the white radar ball that you can see at the top left at the end of the ridge. When you reach a crossroads, take a short detour to the right to admire a magnificent drystone shelter (stone hut) with a ruin above it, then continue on to the nearby Col du Clapier.

(7) Climb left towards the ridge. Once on the ridge, wind your way through rock formations and grassy patches towards Montet. Reach the summit.

(8) Continue along the ridge and reach Haut Montet with its 360° view: the Alps on one side, the Mediterranean on the other. Simply exceptional.

(9) Begin the descent on a concrete road: you can also follow a path parallel to the left along this road.

(10) Leave this road and take a track on the left which quickly joins a path. Take this path on the left through the meadow, which is sometimes strewn with rocks. You will come out onto a track. Continue straight ahead to reach a road.

(11) Cross over and continue straight ahead towards the forest. Continue straight ahead, keeping north-west, until you reach a track junction.

(12) Turn left.

(13) Take a path on the right, pass a house on your left, then join a tarmac road. Continue to the right, then turn left with the road to reach the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,097 m - Caussols car park
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 1,102 m - Behind the school
  3. 2 : km 0.5 - alt. 1,117 m - Track, on the left
  4. 3 : km 0.74 - alt. 1,131 m - Path on the left
  5. 4 : km 1.43 - alt. 1,133 m - Road
  6. 5 : km 2.02 - alt. 1,136 m - La Fruste
  7. 6 : km 2.88 - alt. 1,117 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 4.4 - alt. 1,259 m - Col du Clapier
  9. 8 : km 4.79 - alt. 1,308 m - Le Montet (1311m)
  10. 9 : km 7.08 - alt. 1,329 m - Summit - Le Haut Montet (1335m)
  11. 10 : km 9.05 - alt. 1,135 m - Track on the left, after the - Aven de la Charogne
  12. 11 : km 10.07 - alt. 1,122 m - Road
  13. 12 : km 11.99 - alt. 1,108 m - Track, on the left
  14. 13 : km 12.44 - alt. 1,089 m - Path on the right
  15. S/E : km 13.23 - alt. 1,097 m - Caussols car park

Notes

Shelter available.
(10) Ideal for picnics

Worth a visit

La drystone shelter before the Col du Clapier (7).
(9) Haut Montet, radar station.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
renato52
renato52

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike through a sometimes lunar landscape with beautiful passages between varied rocks
that are ultimately varied.

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Gigi3
Gigi3

The route is very easy to follow thanks to the description, no problems to report.
Worth doing again with the family.

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Nathalie06
Nathalie06

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike under glorious spring sunshine, completed in 4 hours and 50 minutes. The view from the summit is simply incredible, and the scenery along the way is almost as stunning.
Be aware, however, that there is little shade, so it may be best to avoid this hike in the height of summer.

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Gigi3
Gigi3

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Even if the weather wasn't great, it was a superb hike.

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Alain04
Alain04

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike that can be done in half a day. Superb views of the sea and mountains.

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Laurence du Béal
Laurence du Béal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

There were lots of people on the Caussols plateau on this sunny autumn Sunday. We didn't see Corsica, but it was still very beautiful! Twenty-seven vultures were circling above us when we were at the drystone shelter below the Col du Clapier.
Please note: marker 41 no longer exists, so you need to be careful to find the path on the left.

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06olive
06olive

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very easy and a superb sea view.
I

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NELLY J
NELLY J

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Just a slight loss of bearings at the start, as the marker was on the road rather than at the beginning of the trail. After that, the route was well marked and easy to follow, with remarkable views and two drystone shelters. Little elevation gain. Many varieties of flowers and aromatic plants. There were storms during the hike, but a warm welcome awaited us at the Caussols inn. Easy parking, despite the number of cars.

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John_VDL
John_VDL

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

I agree with Papiluc06!

The route was a real obstacle course, an endurance test bordering on the impossible! Indeed, after double-checking with my ultra-precise altimeter, the elevation gain was not 700 metres but 1,400 metres. We weren't ready to tackle this trail!

As for the encounters along the way, let's not even talk about them! The lions were the least surprising. We had to dodge a dragon who had decided to take selfies in the haystacks between points 1 and 2. And the snow! A real snowstorm, the wind was so strong! But luckily one of our members had watched the Bear Grylls episode in the snowstorm, so we equipped ourselves with handkerchiefs in our ears to ward off the wind and be able to move forward without pain! A real survival technique!

Ah, the return... I should point out that it was, in fact, "quite difficult", especially after having to lend my last energy bar to a stray yeti. Following a flood, we had to swim for 3 km, which was very physically demanding.

In short, we're alive! Thank you for sharing this hike, and don't forget to check your survival equipment for next time: flamethrower, anti-dragon kit, boat or diving gear, and maybe a good old sledge for the descent.

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Papiluc06
Papiluc06

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route was more difficult than expected. The elevation gain was greater than indicated, as it was only based on the difference in contour lines. In reality, it was more than 700 metres. However, the views were magnificent, especially as we enjoyed ideal spring weather. There were even paragliders out and about. A riot of colour and movement. The return journey was also quite difficult, especially the last descent before arriving. Shortcuts are unlikely and risky.

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Fabrice4444
Fabrice4444

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike with beautiful scenery. Easy hike with little elevation gain.
Definitely worth doing.

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Nathjm
Nathjm

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A long but easy hike with little elevation gain. A succession of karst landscapes and forest passages with 360° views along the ridge. On one side, snow-capped mountains and on the other, the coastline from Nice to Agay. In particular, the Cap d'Antibes and the Lérins Islands are magnificent!

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gréwis
gréwis

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk on 21 December 23 in beautiful weather.

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