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(S/E) From the Saint-Michel car park, return to the road that runs along the coast and follow it to the left, heading east. You will arrive at the barrier marking the entrance to the forest, directly opposite the eastern end of Gigaro Beach. Continue straight ahead on the Route Forestière de Gigaro, which curves to the left around the last houses. As it climbs the hill, this track makes a wide loop to the right, leading to a fork.
(1) Take the Piste du Fer à Cheval on the left, which continues to climb steeply towards the Col de Collebasse. Follow it for 1.3 km, first under forest cover, then gradually climbing through fairly dense heathland, until you reach the ridge overlooking the entire landscape. Before you get there, ignore a path that branches off to the right at the first hairpin bend, then another one on the left after the third bend. When you reach the ridge, you will come back onto the Route Forestière des Brouis.
(2) Turn right onto this road and head towards the highest point a few hundred metres away. When the track reaches the summit, leave it and take the path that climbs steeply to the right to reach the Vigie viewpoint.
(3) From this highest point, the view is spectacular and encompasses not only the entire circuit, but also a much wider panorama of the Var coastline, from the Hyères Islands to the Esterel.
Descend by the same route and return to the track, then turn right to continue the walk.
Pass the piles of an old gate and take the path that starts on the left down the slope, about fifty metres further on.
The large umbrella pines marking this entrance are survivors of a huge fire that destroyed the magnificent forest of Cap Lardier, the remains of which can be seen at several points along the route ahead.
(4) Follow the track on the left, which descends steeply through the dead trees. On several occasions, go around some carcasses that have collapsed across the path. It's a bit rough and scratchy in places, but the path is visible throughout the descent. Keep your eyes on the rows of vines that criss-cross the bottom of the valley below. At the bottom of the slope, you will come to a track that follows the edge of the vineyard, just above the bottom of the valley.
Cross this track to reach the other side. Turn left onto a path parallel to the track. Join it just before the barrier that blocks access.
(5) Important: from this point, the route marked in pink on the IGN map is no longer accessible and has been replaced by a route marked with yellow signs leading to Plage de la Briande.
Follow these signs, going up to the right between burnt wood and vines, then turn left and cross a steeply sloping wooded area. After about 300 m, the path comes out onto another track. Turn left and go down towards a residential area.
(6) Before reaching it, leave the track on your left and continue straight ahead on the path that avoids the houses on the right. When you reach the vineyards again, turn right and continue along the edge between the vineyards and the forest. You will soon come to Briande Beach, nestled in the hollow of Cap Taillat, whose mass blocks the horizon.
(7) Go up the beach on the left, cross the rocky escarpment at the end, and descend to the sandy isthmus that connects Cap Taillat to the coast.
This isa beautiful spot to take a dip or continue exploring the area: add 1.5 km there and back to reach Pointe du Cap Taillat.
(8) Retrace your steps to the other end of Briande Beach.
(7) This time, continue opposite along the path that leads to Cap Lardier.
Following the shoreline as closely as possible or moving away from it to avoid overly steep sections, this path is very uneven and requires particular caution. And as the views it offers of this part of the coastline are exceptional, it is worth stopping and taking the time to contemplate the landscape.
As you walk along, you will come to a vineyard overlooking the shore and pass a small hut nestled on the hillside just above a picturesque cove.
Pass another cove littered with marine debris, then walk a few hundred metres before starting the climb up to the ridge overlooking Cap Lardier (which is not accessible).
The panorama then opens up on both sides of the cape.
(9) With your back to the point, follow the track along the ridge for about 600 metres.
Take the first fork to the left to pass to the left and under the old semaphore. Further on, join the track that leads there.
(10) As the view opens up, vertiginously, over the cove below, take the first path on the left that leads down the cliff. Very steep until you reach Brouis Beach, it is a series of steps and requires particular care. However, the vertigo is mitigated by the dense vegetation in which the path has been carved out.
The arrival at Brouis Beach is a beautiful reward, if it is not too crowded.
(11) Leave the beach at its north-western end and follow the path that goes around Pointe du Brouis. Gigaro Beach now seems just a stone's throw away, but it takes more than half an hour to reach it. Continue along the narrow coastal path, which alternates between fairly rough sections and a few welcoming coves.
(12) You will come out onto Gigaro Beach. Walk up the beach for about 100 metres and take the first access point on the right. Join the track you took on the way there. Turn left, go through the gate in the other direction and walk up the coastal road until you reach Boulevard Saint-Michel and the car park of the same name (S/E).
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