The Valmasque Park and the Fontmerle Pond

A family walk in the Valmasque heath, ideal for a picnic near the Étang de Fontmerle.
The lake is covered with lotus flowers, which bloom from July to mid-September.

Details

368766
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.37 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 99 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 105 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 228 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 163 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Alps
  • ⚐ City: Mougins (06250)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.600112° / E 7.030644°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3643ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) The hike starts at the second car park on the right when arriving from Mougins via the D35.

From this car park, take the track on the right that leads into the forest, heading south-east. Leave the first track on the right before you reach a small intersection.

(1) At this point, you will come to a yellow signpost, which you should follow throughout the hike.
Take the path that branches off to the right towards the south-west. Follow this marked path through the white oak trees until you reach a track at a major intersection.

(2) Continue on the marked track in the same direction. After a short climb, you will arrive at another crossroads. Continue straight ahead on the path that descends near a few houses. Follow the markings under the pine trees until you reach a car park.

(3) Cross the road and take the path that climbs up to the left (still following the yellow markings, which are a little faint at this point). After a short climb, the balcony path descends to another car park next to the Étang de Fontmerle.

(4) Cross the road, then go around the pond on the left. Don't miss the two viewpoints over the pond and its lotus flowers.

(5) Cross the road, climb the few steps and follow the marked trail to the road near the car park you passed earlier. Turn left onto the road and continue for about 20 metres, then turn right onto the trail in the woods that leads to a main track. Turn right onto the track, then take the trail that climbs up to the left towards the south-east, marked in yellow. The trail then turns left towards the northeast before skirting around the 233m altitude point on the left. Descend eastwards, crossing two tracks before arriving at a car park with a children's playground.

(6) From this car park, head to the edge of the RD35 and follow the cycle path on the right until you reach the car park at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 169 m - Parking coming from Mougins (D35)
  2. 1 : km 0.31 - alt. 178 m - Trail heading south-west, marked in yellow - Bouillide (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 1 - alt. 200 m - Follow the yellow markings
  4. 3 : km 2.01 - alt. 194 m - Crossing a road
  5. 4 : km 2.68 - alt. 182 m - Fontmerle Pond
  6. 5 : km 3.35 - alt. 183 m - Road and stairs
  7. 6 : km 5.15 - alt. 163 m - Parking
  8. S/E : km 5.37 - alt. 169 m - Parking coming from Mougins (D35)

Notes

There is no water along the route.

The hike is mostly in the shade, so it is feasible in summer.

Good walking shoes are sufficient for this walk.

Picnic tables are available at several locations along the route.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 31 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
marquounet
marquounet

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A nice little walk whose only attraction is the walk around the pond...

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TITISTADOLINA
TITISTADOLINA

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk, though very busy. It was a shame it was so noisy that day due to tree pruning in the park and the cleaning of the pond. It wasn’t always easy to spot the markings.

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Nathpatr
Nathpatr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant route but signage sometimes missing

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avc06
avc06
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike through the woods.
It's a shame that the rain the day before left some slippery spots.
At the "Etang de Fontmerle" waypoint, you can add a 2 x 850 m detour to the Notre-Dame de Vie chapel.

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Marpol
Marpol

Thank you, that's exactly how we did the tour... along the Siagne Canal... It's very pleasant...

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cosmios06b
cosmios06b

Glad you enjoyed it. This place is suitable for everyone, and staying in beautiful green surroundings is very pleasant. I do it regularly. You can combine it with a trip down to the Siagne canal via one of the paths that lead there (Chemin de l'Étang, Chemin de Notre Dame de Vie, or Chemin de Picasso) and come back up via any of them... It's very pleasant. You can also visit the Notre Dame de Vie site with its panoramic view of the Esterel mountains.

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Marpol
Marpol

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We started and finished the route at Fontmerle pond. We followed the directions on the information sheet and found the route pleasant (setting) and easy. We will do it again at another time of year.

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leopal
leopal
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with no difficulties, a bit busy in places.

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diogene59
diogene59

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The yellow paint has been redone, but there are still a few places where you might get lost. No problem for me, I have a walking GPS.
The route isn't very long or difficult and is easy to follow. It's 80-90% in the shade, so you can do it even in the heat of the day. For those who want to walk a little further, you can combine it with the "Une boucle dans la Valmasque" route.
There aren't many points of interest, but it's worth it just for the pond filled with beautiful lotus flowers. A must-see, it's fantastic.

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cosmios06b
cosmios06b

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This isn't the first time I've done this route, but with the current GPS conditions much improved in the area, I was able to follow the route easily, including the return to the children's playground, which was easier to spot after the forest ranger passed by with his pot of yellow paint in his hand....
Two improvements to the description would be welcome:
- At point 5 at the end: "Then head back down towards the east, crossing two tracks before arriving at a car park where there are
children's playgrounds." It would be good to warn that this downhill path is difficult to walk on if it has rained recently, as it turns into a muddy torrent. When I did it, there was only dry mud left, but as the whole route is easy and the paths are very flat, this may bother some walkers....
- Still at point 5, to be honest, the return trip along the road is not at all interesting and noisy, so knowing the area, I followed another route, a little longer but more pleasant. I will attach a picture of my final route if possible

Finally, note that in the car park at the start, there is a toilet block and a water point (very useful when, like me, you stop there before setting off and take the opportunity to close the large metal door on your fingers, as my middle finger will remind me... and the fresh water that ran over it for two minutes meant I could start my ride without having to go to A&E first)

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petite chose
petite chose

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route that is well described
A little short, which is why we combined it with "A loop in Valmasque"

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cosmios06b
cosmios06b

Funny, I was there at exactly the same time today...
It's good to come during the week because there are more people at the weekend, but everyone finds a place...
The last time I did the route, I came across the man who was repainting all the signs... with his pots of red and yellow paint! You can see them clearly now! See you soon, perhaps. I do this route regularly.
Happy New Year to everyone.

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danielaime06
danielaime06

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy and pleasant walk that takes about 1.5 hours (without children)
The route is easy to follow, even without GPS, as the yellow markings have been freshly repainted from start to finish.
Happy New Year, hikers!

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Janloulou
Janloulou

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An easy hike that can be enjoyed all year round. The pond is populated by ducks, which children and others will love.
And if you lose your way, don't worry, it's easy to find your way back.

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cosmios06b
cosmios06b

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this very nice walk, which I had already attempted but only partially.
The problem is that in Valmasque, near the car parks, there are no GPS signals! So you end up wandering around a bit, and you rejoin the route once you've climbed a little. That's what I did today.
Regarding the explanations, out of curiosity, I would have liked to find what is written in the explanations in point 5 "...before going around the altitude point 233 on the left".... I didn't understand this explanation.
Because of the missing GPS, I couldn't start from the right place, but otherwise it was really well described and there were no wrong turns.
I put "not very busy" because I went late, from 4 to 6 p.m., but earlier in the day, there must be more people.
It's worth noting that, as in the whole area, there were lots of people with dogs, but they were fairly well behaved and there were no dogs off the leash. I met a couple and showed them the route and explained how to walk further, as I know the area well and come here at least once a week.

Thanks for the walk.

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