The 4 brothers

An easy hike that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Pretty paths through pine woods and heathland.

⚠️ 29/04/2025: Hike modified to follow the signposts between 5 and 3 and avoid aggressive dogs.

Details

94404
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.64 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 190 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 196 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 528 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 342 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Le Beausset (83330)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.235083° / E 5.813133°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3345OT, 3346OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Starting point: Le Beausset, route de Marseille, turn right towards "Circuit du Castellet, Zone d'entreprise de Signes" and immediately right towards the Maison des 4 Frères. Continue to the car park on the left.

(S/E) At the end of the car park, take the wide path towards "Maison de la Nature". Cross the Ruisseau du Vallon and you will arrive opposite the Maison de la Nature des Quatre Frères.

(1) Take the signposted path on the right (pink and blue). Follow this path and pass the Bastide Blanche on your left.

(2) Continue north-northeast, crossing the stream several times. Pass a first fork and continue to a second fork.

(3) Turn right onto the marked path that climbs towards the plateau and the Tête du Cade and arrive at a crossroads with four paths.

(4) Turn right. The trail goes around the Tête du Cade to the south, staying at roughly the same altitude, until you reach a crossroads at an elevation of 468 metres.

(5) Turn left heading north. On the next section of the trail, look out for the sea on your right! The trail turns north-west and reaches a crossroads.

(6) Don't miss the very pretty little path on the left marked in pink (but not shown on the map) towards the summit of the Tête de Cade. After about 500 m, be careful not to miss the left turn.

(7) Do not continue straight ahead on the track but look for the small path (with a cairn) marked in pink, which branches off to the left. After a few metres, this path turns right and heads west to join the crossroads of four paths already taken on the way there.

(4) Then turn right (north-west). After about 100 metres, at a T-junction, turn left into the Vallon de l'Oure. Walk for a long time in this valley, on a pleasant path, until you reach the fork you took on the way there.

(3) Continue straight ahead to pass the Bastide Blanche (2), then the Maison des Quatre Frères (1) and finally the car park, following the path you took on the way there in the opposite direction (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 365 m - Car park at the Maison des Quatre Frères
  2. 1 : km 0.19 - alt. 362 m - Maison de la Nature - Cote 362
  3. 2 : km 0.77 - alt. 342 m - La Bastide Blanche
  4. 3 : km 1.18 - alt. 357 m - Fork in the road
  5. 4 : km 2.93 - alt. 469 m - Cote 469, crossroads of 4 paths
  6. 5 : km 4.49 - alt. 470 m - Crossroads Cote 468
  7. 6 : km 5.16 - alt. 520 m - Crossroads - Rose marked trail
  8. 7 : km 5.72 - alt. 488 m - Fork in the road - Cairn
  9. S/E : km 9.64 - alt. 365 m - Parking

Notes

An unpretentious but pleasant hike, ideal for sunny winter days.

Worth a visit

During the hike, you will see ruined cade ovens and charcoal kilns.
A beautiful view of the sea.
Towards the end, a very well-made reconstruction of cade ovens and charcoal kilns with explanatory panels.
The Nature House with miniature reconstructions, a fairly comprehensive and entertaining museum...
A botanical trail.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 81 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
fanfanjac
fanfanjac

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

We were disappointed by this trail, which stays deep in the forest with no views – what a shame! What’s more, the weather was very cloudy (and rainy at times), which made it feel even gloomier. On the other hand, the trail is very easy, with no difficulties or tricky rocks to negotiate, and there are information boards along the way explaining the cades kilns.

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Louis13
Louis13

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant short walk with views of La Ciotat. Please be mindful of private property.

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furaxofmarseille
furaxofmarseille
• Edited:

For information, a sign with the heading "Ecomusée départemental des 4 frères" (Departmental Ecomuseum of the Four Brothers) at the white house reads: "Note to hikers - CAUTION - The VISORANDO website offers a hike called "Les 4 frères - distance 9.79 km" which passes through private property where a herd is guarded by dogs - ADVICE: Only follow the Var departmental signage in this area."

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Avalon
Avalon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The only time we were on the edge of the undergrowth, we were attacked by stray dogs that must belong to people near a building site. I was bitten on the right buttock and needed a week's treatment. A complaint will be lodged. For a family outing beware.

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Micka Macabi
Micka Macabi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Excellent pink markings to avoid any mistakes
Metci

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TOBAGO1953
TOBAGO1953

Lovely walk in the undergrowth

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YLep
YLep

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk with no difficulties. In the undergrowth, so perfect for a walk in the summer, but no viewpoints on the other hand.

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TOBAGO1953
TOBAGO1953

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

the paths have been moved because of overuse but the paths used now are well marked
on parallel tracks

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nicofred83
nicofred83

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walking trail for all the family. No difficulties

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naunaudubroussan
naunaudubroussan

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

the only problem is that when you come back from the right, the path is just passable because the descent is rocky.

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lonesloane_13
lonesloane_13

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 pleasant walk in the undergrowth, on the way you can see a restored lime kiln as well as a reconstruction of a charcoal kiln, a panel provides all the necessary information on the history of the use of these constructions...
We were lucky in that there was very little engine noise from the Castelet circuit!
One comment, however: the downloaded gpx track does not correspond, in part, to the route marked out on the ground by the guide panels installed in the estate.
Between points 3 and 5, the route follows another path that starts 6 or 700 m after point 3 and climbs to the right to join the gpx track between point 4 and point 5 of the gpx track.
For the rest, the track corresponds to the various guidance points on the estate.
However, this is not a mistake: the downloaded gpx track is correct in its entirety and just takes a different route between points 3 and 4.

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piat colette
piat colette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike that we modified slightly to go as far as the Maramoye abyss.
And so a slight change on the way back, but it's very easy to find a new track on the Visotando circuit.

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plaisirnature
plaisirnature

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk with no difficulties, on pretty paths and in very green countryside.
Perfect signposting and marking.

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vincent_viot
vincent_viot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike, very pleasant in autumn.

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MAR13
MAR13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice, shady walk (think about it for the summer!), not difficult, easy and very pleasant. Thank you

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