Tour of the Pic de l'Ours

A beautiful way to discover the Massif de l'Estérel via often very steep trails.

Details

41090
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.69 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 512 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 520 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 478 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 20 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From Agay, take the D100 towards Fréjus for 2 km, then turn right towards the Estérel mountains and finally Col de Belle Barbe 3 km further on. Park in the car park at the pass.

(S/E) The trail starts on the right, descending to join theGR®51(white and red markings). Follow the valley on a wide track until you reach a fork just before a ford on the Infernet.

(1) Turn left, cross the ford and continue to Lac de l'Écureuil (dry at the end of summer).

(2) Go around it on the left for 500 m, then descend to the right onto the banks of the ravine.

(3) Leave the path that branches off to the left (GR®51) and take the very steep, shaded path of the Ravin de la Dent de l'Ours, which climbs towards the Pic de l'Ours (be careful, the start of this path is not very obvious as there are no markings and very few cairns until the summit of the Dent de l'Ours). At the end of the ravine, the trail winds through a few wide switchbacks and arrives at a fork.

(4) Turn left and continue to the summit of the Dent de l'Ours (sign).

(5) Continue to the right, following the blue and yellow markings towards Pic de l'Ours for 500 m, then take the blue markings on the left to reach the summit.

(6) From Pic de l'Ours, follow the paved road for a few metres and take the path on the right (not easy to find, a GPS or IGN map is essential) which leads to Col des Lentisques, crossing the road twice.

(7) At the pass, turn right onto the road for 50 metres, then take a wide track on the right which descends to the ford you passed at the start.

(1) Once in the Vallon de l'Écureuil, return to the car park by following the route in reverse (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 45 m - Col de Belle Barbe
  2. 1 : km 3.22 - alt. 53 m - Fork, on the left
  3. 2 : km 3.74 - alt. 76 m - Lac de l'Écureuil
  4. 3 : km 4.45 - alt. 70 m - Turn right towards the Ravin de la Dent de l'Ours
  5. 4 : km 7.05 - alt. 345 m - Turn left towards the summit of the Dent de l'Ours
  6. 5 : km 7.5 - alt. 386 m - On the right, head towards the Pic de l'Ours - Dent de l'Ours
  7. 6 : km 8.19 - alt. 472 m - Pic de L'Ours
  8. 7 : km 9.9 - alt. 263 m - Col des Lentisques
  9. S/E : km 15.69 - alt. 44 m - Col de Belle Barbe. Close to the - Agay (fleuve)

Notes

Recommended period: January to December (avoid July and August).
There are no water sources, so bring at least 1.5 litres depending on the time of year. Very good walking boots are essential in the mountains. There are no technical difficulties or steep slopes. For an average hiker, allow 4 to 5 hours without technical stops.

Worth a visit

- The Cap Roux hike (the most beautiful in the Estérel with breathtaking views of the sea) is very short (2 hours) but quite challenging for a beginner hiker
- The Calanques d'Antheor and Trayas route by bike or car
- The Saint Barthélemy rock (on foot or by bike),
- Hike around Mont Vinaigre (the highest peak in the massif),
- Hike across the Estérel: from Fréjus to Anthéor (28 km) in a single day.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 51 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 8201833

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely ride with a steady climb averaging 11%.
Perfect weather in April.

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Aleksey
Aleksey

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This is the most densely crisscrossed route with rivers and streams among the recent ones.
Stunning views and beautiful red rock formations.
And, surprisingly, it’s not difficult.

Fred0713
Fred0713

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

It’s not always easy to follow the route; it’s of moderate to difficult difficulty as you really have to watch where you’re stepping. There are plenty of scree slopes and rocks all along the route, which means the going isn’t always pleasant (staring at your feet isn’t exactly ideal). A good elevation gain for experienced hikers, but not suitable for occasional walkers. Personally, I think classifying it as moderate difficulty could be misleading for some hikers. Beautiful views and lush vegetation. Take care if it’s raining, as there are sections through the riverbed.

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jrf
jrf

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike to discover the Esterel massif with stunning views. No difficulties to complete it. Pay close attention to the path intersections, which are not always easy to see.

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jgue57
jgue57

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike... varied landscapes in the gorges and on the heights with beautiful views of the sea.
However, it is a bit long at the start and on the way back...

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User 27942519

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice route, but beware of uneven terrain. Wear sturdy footwear!

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Marc  84
Marc 84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike along the Cheiron ridges with stunning views of the snow-capped Argentera. The full ridge walk, returning to Coursegoules, is 21 km long.

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viry
viry

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, stunning views

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Tiki
Tiki
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route through the Esterel Massif. I recommend wearing high-top shoes for comfort.
I recommend this route using the Visorando GPS.

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coraaalieb
coraaalieb

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike in the Esterel mountains. At the start, the trail is shared with mountain bikers, but once you head towards the "squirrel lake", there are only a few hikers around. There are a few steep sections (in a loop), so I wouldn't recommend it for beginner hikers or if you have children.
There are many areas in direct sunlight, so I would not recommend it in the height of summer.
I used my GPS because it wasn't easy to find your way around in some places (especially on the way back)!

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Bambou67
Bambou67

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike on varied and pleasant trails, with lovely views of the mountains and the sea. The climb to the Dent de l'Ours is challenging, but you'll be greatly rewarded for your efforts :-)
We encountered a few mountain bikes on the wide track in the first section. The narrower path that winds along the river and then climbs steeply to the Dent de l'Ours was fairly quiet. However, we found it very busy between points 4 and 6, then few hikers again on the very stony descent.
The lack of signposting on the trails is very unfortunate. We had to refer to the GPS several times to find the trail junctions; the detailed description of the route and the map are not enough to find your way around. Thank you for sharing the PDF and GPX files!

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arthur34
arthur34

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route for this walk is probably very reliable, provided you don't lose your way at the start. From memory, we went to point 3 and played it safe by keeping to the left on the GR 51, which took us to the Col Notre Dame and from there to the Pic de l'Ours (very beautiful view). On the way back, there's no risk, just follow the GR 51, which has the advantage of being shaded all the way down. Next time, we'll do it again, passing through the Dent de l'Ours ravine.

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ratonas
ratonas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I did this hike on 18 May 2020 in beautiful weather with my dog. The first part up to point 3 is magnificent. You walk along the river, which is quite pleasant in very hot weather. This first part is quite busy (families, mountain bikes, etc.). The climb up to the Dent de l'Ours is fine (good physical condition required) but often in the river bed with lots of stones. It is shaded. There are quite a few fords, some of which are not indicated in the description.
The view from the top is magnificent.
The descent into the Baisse des Sangliers is more traditional and well shaded.
In some places, I think a GPS is necessary to find the right path.
For me, this is a very beautiful hike to do during the week or outside of holiday periods to avoid the crowds at the start of the trail.
I recommend it...

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Hugo53129
Hugo53129

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We didn't use the full description because it wasn't possible for our family to walk the entire 15 km.
Nevertheless, the route seems reliable, thanks for the tip! If you want to discover the area but are less athletic, have children or elderly people with you, there is a (small) car park at the top, accessible by car, from which 2 and/or 8 km circuits are possible. You need good shoes, but the paths are fine (let's just say that flip-flops won't work!), accessible to almost everyone (be careful with elderly people or children as there are ravines, but these aren't too much of a problem for walking) and the scenery is superb!

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jhgarel
jhgarel

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

please note that the squirrel lake no longer exists, even in winter; the dam was washed away by flooding a few years ago, so it is no longer a landmark
For the return trip, it is more interesting to head from the Col des Lentisques to the Col des Évêques and descend via the Vallon des Lentisques to the Vallon du Mal Infernet
This hike should be done outside the dry season; the Col de Belle Barbe is closed in summer

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