Mont Chauve d'Aspremont from Nice Nord

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This pleasant route starts in Nice Nord and takes you to Mont Chauve d'Aspremont via theGR® hillside trail. It offers panoramic views of the Nice metropolitan area and the sea, as well as the Var plain and the first peaks of the Mercantour. It is marked by the ruins of Château Renard, the Falicon Cave and the Fort du Mont Chauve. This route is accessible to most people despite the very stony and slippery paths in wet weather.

Details

n°16962889
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.92 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 551 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 549 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 842 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 360 m
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Photos

The Mediterranean Sea near Nice from Mont Chauve.
Falicon Cave.
Ruins of Château Renard

Description of the walk

Start from Chemin de Château Renard, where you can park at the side of the road.

(S/E) Continue in the direction of arrival for about 50 metres, then turn right onto theGR® Rouge et Blanc marked path. Keep to the right a few dozen metres further on.

(1) At the fork, follow theGR® markings to the right and continue straight ahead, following the markings.

(2) At the ruins of Château Renard, leave theGR® and take the yellow-marked path that starts immediately to the left of the main ruin, contrary to what the map suggests. Reach the Pyramid and the Falicon Cave.

(3) For the more experienced, it is possible to descend into the cave using the ladder. Then continue north-west, keep left at the fork and rejoin the GR®.

(4) Turn right.

(5) Keep left to continue on the GR®. Ignore the path coming from the ridge on the right and continue for about 100 metres to reach marker 833.

(6) Turn right to begin the ascent of Mont Chauve. The track becomes passable for vehicles and then turns into a tarmac road.

(7) Turn left and begin a series of hairpin bends to reach the summit of Mont Chauve d'Aspremont.

(8) The fort is not open to visitors, but you can see the fortifications on the left and right before turning back.
At the bend in the road, take the path on the left which climbs steeply and then heads north. Keep going in this direction.

(9) At an altitude of 800 m, walkers are treated to magnificent views of Mont Cima and, further away, the Mercantour. At this fork, begin the descent to the left and rejoin the GR®.

(10) Turn left heading south and you will come to a fork you passed on the way up.

(6) Continue straight ahead, following theGR® in the opposite direction to the outward journey. Enjoy panoramic views of the Var valley and the sea. You will come to another fork in the path that you passed on the way out.

(4) Continue straight ahead and you will come to the ruins of Château Renard.

(2) Turn right and retrace your steps to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 360 m - Château Renard Path
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 385 m - Fourche
  3. 2 : km 0.78 - alt. 457 m - Ruins of Château Renard. Crossroads 1st circular
  4. 3 : km 1.13 - alt. 461 m - Falicon pyramid and cave
  5. 4 : km 1.52 - alt. 493 m - Common crossroads A/R
  6. 5 : km 1.78 - alt. 498 m - Common junction A/R
  7. 6 : km 3.55 - alt. 675 m - Marker 833. Crossroads 2nd circular
  8. 7 : km 4.32 - alt. 745 m - Road, on the left - Mont Chauve d'Aspremont
  9. 8 : km 5.36 - alt. 837 m - Return trip. Mont Chauve d'Aspremont, fort
  10. 9 : km 6.44 - alt. 810 m - Fork in the road. To the left
  11. 10 : km 7.43 - alt. 654 m - GR°°®°° junction, on the left
  12. S/E : km 11.92 - alt. 360 m - Château Renard trail

Notes

No water source.

The paths are of good quality but covered with large stones. As they are quite busy, the stones have become very smooth and therefore very slippery in wet weather. In this type of weather, it is better to avoid this hike.

Worth a visit

(2) Ruins of Château Renard.

(3) Pyramid and cave of Falicon (also known as Ratapignata).

(8) Fort du Mont Chauve.

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.

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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 10 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
josefa Andreu
josefa Andreu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route to take in dry weather, especially for sections 2, 3 and 4.
Very beautiful views.

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LaGauth
LaGauth
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with a beautiful view of the Riviera from the top of Mont Chauve.
No major difficulties, except at the start where the terrain is slightly uneven for 200 metres, but you just need to go at your own pace and avoid rainy days.
The final climb is very easy, as it is on a tarmac road.

Thank you for the route 👍

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Marcum
Marcum

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A bit technical on the way up because there are lots of stone steps.

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criton
criton

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Today I walked around Mount Chauve d'Aspremont in superb weather, not too hot, but with very average visibility.
I took the wrong route at the start because I didn't pay attention to the markings along the GR5 and ended up on the path marked with yellow and red dots, which runs parallel to and below the ridge, shown as small dashes on the IGN map, forcing me to climb steeply to get back to the GR.
The fort site is superb and recalls the heavy investments made by France after the defeat of 1870, under the supervision of General Seré de Rivières, to contain potential enemies coming from the east or south-east.
The return trip around Mont Chauve is a little more problematic.
The start of the trail is well marked, as indicated on the map, on the left at the first bend in the access road, marked "trail 10", but you must not stay on this trail, which descends the north-eastern flank of Mont Chauve. Do not go past the "trail 11" sign, but instead head slightly uphill to the left to join a path that roughly follows the descending ridge, facing Aspremont, with the Var plain on your left.
This path is uncomfortable and should be avoided in wet weather.
You will then rejoin the GR5, which is also uncomfortable as it is paved with stones that have been more or less polished over the years...

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berlib
berlib

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with beautiful views of Nice and the coast as far as Cap d'Antibes and the snow-capped Alps! The route is well described and the trail is clear. We bypassed Mont Chauve (point 4), which is covered in antennas, going directly from point 3 to point 5. Nice climb with lots of rocks between the start and point 1... Nice descent between points 6 and 7, probably difficult when the ground is wet!

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RioTholal
RioTholal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with points of interest and beautiful views of the French Riviera on one side, but also of the Mercantour when you pass behind Mont Chauve. This hike should be done early in the morning or outside of the hot season, as there is almost no shade along the route.

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danielaime06
danielaime06

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Here is a good alternative to the Randoxygène06 route for accessing Mont Chauve, with the added bonus of the Falicon pyramid and its cave.
It's true that it's best to wear sturdy footwear, as there are large rocks on the trails.
I reversed the pyramid detour (points 2 to 4) by doing it on the way back: no problems to report.
Contrary to what is indicated, there is a water source, but it is located at the start of the route, a few metres from marker 728. This is good to know if you have forgotten to fill your water bottles.

Please note that there is not much shade along this pleasant hike. Avoid the heat of the day or set off very early in the morning.

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leopal
leopal

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route that matches the description in every way, with superb panoramic views.
Descend into the cave using a ladder fixed to the walls – great fun!
Make sure you wear good shoes as the paths are very stony.

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cordi rocco
cordi rocco

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I had already climbed Mont Chauve starting from the village of Aspremont. This route is very pleasant, and the ruins of Château Renard and the Falicon cave are worth visiting. The arrival at the fort on Mont Chauve offers a view of the entire coastline from Fréjus to Cap Férat near Nice and the peaks of Mercantour.
The climb is steady despite the numerous rocks, and in my opinion, it is suitable for families.
We had an excellent day.

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millepat06
millepat06

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,

I usually climbed Mont Chauve, but without going to the cave. This is a bonus and the cave is worth the detour.
Thank you for this route.
Millepat06

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