Hiking Tour of Provence and the French Riviera

Our planned schedule below will vary depending on factors such as weather. Hiking times are estimates. Weather and sea conditions may affect the hike on the Island of Porquerolles (alternative plans will be made as needed).

The south of France is a Mecca for wonderful walking. Whether it is in the hills and limestone escarpments, the fields of lavender and vineyards or the rocky paths and pebbly beaches of the south coast, you will fall in love with this colorful region.

We will be walking trails along the south coast west from the St. Tropez area towards Marseilles and visiting small inland villages, typical of the Provence region. We will see flora and fauna typical to this region - Bonelli's Eagles soaring majestically above the high rocky cliffs or walking amongst the Garrigue.

Our acocmodations are chosen for comfort and charm as well as proximity to the areas we will be visiting, making it easier to discover the trails and small medieval villages.

We'll start with a transfer from the pick-up point to the St.Tropez area and walk west, finishing in the beautiful Calanques' area just east of Marseille.

DAY 1 - Pick-up Our guides will meet you at the Marseille airport at 1:00 p.m.. We'll then transfer to our hotel la Garbine. You'll have the option to spend a couple hours visiting St. Tropez.

In the evening, our knowledgeable guides will explain trip details followed by a group dinner.

Hotel La Garbine. D

DAY 2 - Hiking along the coast around the St. Tropez peninsula We will hike along the coast, passing many of the famous beaches, such as the Pampelone Beach, where we might even spot some celebrities. The trail takes us along some of the most beautiful coastline in this area. The hike continues around the peninsula and finishes at the hotel.

3 - 4 hours, 6 miles.
Hotel La Garbine. B,L, & D

DAY 3 - Cap Lardier We'll start our hike by visiting the medieval village of Ramatuelle, which consists of tiny streets, no traffic, old buildings and views on the St. Tropez vineyards. We'll continue along the "sentier du littoral," sometimes referred to as the "Coastguard Path," within a nature conservation area, dotted with colourful shrubs and flowers, umbrella-shaped pine trees (pin parasol), and views of tiny islands, including "Crocodile Island." This is a National Marine park where hundreds of species of flora and fauna are protected, giving us a prime opportunity to see various rare birds!

Transfer to hotel. Dinner is on your own at Borne Les Mimosa,' the village cited as the most flowery village in all of France.

8 - 9 miles, sea level, 5 hours hiking
La Domaine du Mirage. B & L

DAY 4 - L'ile de Porquerolle After a transfer to the small port we'll board a ferry. A roughly one-hour boat ride will take us to the historic island of Porquerolle, also part of the National Park, protecting local flora and fauna since 1971. We will visit the Agatte Fort, walk to the windmill, and see the vineyards, beaches and cliffs of this small beautiful island which has been a military post for centuries. We'll finish the afternoon back on the ferry to take us back to the mainland.

5 hours 5 - 6 miles
La Domaine du Mirage. B, L, & D

DAY 5 - Nation Bay A one hour drive takes us to Bandol, capital of Rosé de Provence, reputed to have the best rosé wine in all of France. Bandol is a seaside town with quaint sandy beaches and inlets that are surrounded by hills of pine, willow trees, and the famous Bandol vineyards.

The path we'll take was made by the customs men as a way of controlling the smuggling of goods that was rife in this region.

You'll have enough time to visit and enjoy your lunch near the sea before the afternoon hike to finish at Les Lecques. Then, we'll take a short ride (20 minutes) to La Cadire. La Cadire-d'Azur is a small, old, medieval hilltop village.

4 hours 10 miles
Hotel Brard & Spa, la Cadire. B, L, & D

DAY 6 - La Montagne St. Baume Today we'll abandon the coast for the mountain of St. Baume, 1,048m. in height. Along the way we will discover the Meditteranean Glacier! This consists of buildings that take advantage of cool air from the hillside for making ice. Our beautiful trail then takes us above the limestone cliffs that rise up above the garrigues with views of the sea and Provence's interior. We'll descend into the Virgin Forest of beech, oak, ash, and hornbeam, untouched by man for centuries. We'll transfer 40 minutes to hotel to round out the day.

9 miles, 6 hours, 2,500ft
Dinner in Le Castellet - 5 minute commute
Hotel Brard & Spa, la Cadire. B, L, & D.

DAY 7 - The Cap Canaille An easy day with superb scenery. We'll hike along the trail to the summit of Cap Canaille - one of the highest cliffs in Europe with stunning views of the coastline. Waves crash against the foot of the cliff 400 meters below. We'll descend this cliff via a coastal trail that takes us to the port of Cassis.

8 miles, 1,310 feet, 3 hours
Dinner on your own.
Les Roches Blanches. B & L.

DAY 8 - The "Calanques" The Calanques are a succession of narrow canyons with white limestone cliffs jutting into the azur blue sea. Probably the highlight of the trip as far as beauty is concerned. A photographers paradise.

Our trail takes us along the coast meandering in and out of these little fjords' with breathtaking views.

This is a well-known region for hikers and climbers of the South of France and will be classed as the tenth National Park of France in 2012.

6 hrs. walking. 10 miles, 2,000' combined ascents
B,L.D...Les Roches Blanches

DAY 9 - Transfer to Marseille airport There will be a morning transfer to the airport for mid-day flights. If you wish to use the group transfer try to arrange your departure to suit this time. If your flight is very early then you will have to arrange a taxi separately. It takes less than 1 hour.