The Best Coastal Path Walks in the Var & Provence
Escapes
The most beautiful stretches of the sentier du littoral, the old coastal customs path, in the Var and Provence: the Giens peninsula, Cap Sicié, Cap Lardier and the Calanques, with the easiest ones minutes from the villa.
From 15 min (Le Pradet) to about 1h15 by car
The Pradet coves on the old customs path, minutes from the villa
The Giens peninsula: wild cliffs and views to Porquerolles
Cap Sicié, red cliffs and a clifftop chapel west of Toulon
Cap Lardier and Cap Taillat, the wildest coast near Saint-Tropez
The Calanques and Cap Canaille for a bigger day west
Long before it was a walking trail, the sentier du littoral was the customs officers' path, cut along the very edge of the sea so the douaniers could watch for smugglers. Today it is a public right of way, free and well marked, that traces the most beautiful coastline in France just above the waves: through pines and rock, past hidden coves and old gun batteries, with the Mediterranean always at your feet. From the villa you can step onto some of the finest stretches of it within minutes, and reach the wildest within the hour.
On the doorstep: Le Pradet and Cap Brun
The gentlest introduction is also the closest. Just along the coast at Le Pradet, the path links the little coves of Les Oursinières, Monaco, Magaud and Méjean, clear water and umbrella pines, with the old Cap Garonne mine above. Closer still, the Cap Brun path runs out of Toulon's Mourillon past clifftop batteries to quiet swimming coves. These are easy, shaded, family walks of an hour or two, and a swim is never far.
The wild peninsula: Giens
A short drive south, the Giens peninsula is the drama. Hung between two sandbars, its western side is all steep cliffs hammered by the swell, wildest between the Pointe du Rabat and the Pointe des Chevaliers, with huge views over the Toulon roadstead and across to Porquerolles. The path threads through lush, varied scrub between viewpoints. It is the walk to do when you want the coast at its most cinematic, half an hour from the house.
Red cliffs west of Toulon: Cap Sicié
West, above Six-Fours and La Seyne, Cap Sicié is the rugged counterpoint: dark red cliffs falling sheer to the sea, crowned by the little chapel of Notre-Dame du Mai with one of the great panoramas of the coast. The paths here are more demanding, with real climbs and exposed stretches, and all the more rewarding for it. Go in the cool of the morning.
The wildest coast: Cap Lardier and Cap Taillat
For the most beautiful unspoilt stretch in the Var, drive about 1h15 to the Saint-Tropez peninsula. From Gigaro beach at La Croix-Valmer, the path runs along the sea to Cap Lardier and on to the slender isthmus of Cap Taillat, protected land with yellow waymarks, turquoise water and not a building in sight. The keen can link all three capes, Lardier, Taillat and Camarat, for a long, glorious day. This is the coast the postcards forgot to ruin.
Going west: the Calanques and Cap Canaille
In the other direction, about an hour west, lies the grandest coastal walking of all. The Calanques National Park strings its white limestone inlets between Cassis and Marseille, reached on foot through the pines, and just beyond, the Route des Crêtes climbs Cap Canaille, among the highest sea cliffs in France, with the whole coast laid out below. Note that in summer the Calanques are regulated for fire risk, so check access before you set out.
An easy calanque: Port d'Alon near Bandol
The Calanque de Port d'Alon, between Bandol and Saint-Cyr, is the gentlest calanque of all, about 30 minutes west of the villa. A shaded path drops through the pines to a sliver of turquoise water between white cliffs, with a self-guided snorkelling trail just offshore. You can walk in along the sentier du littoral from La Madrague de Saint-Cyr in about 45 minutes, or make a longer coastal day of it from Bandol. It is the family-friendly introduction to calanque walking.
Car-free islands: Port-Cros and Porquerolles
For something different, take the boat from Hyères to the Golden Islands. Port-Cros is a national park laced with coastal and inland paths, and Porquerolles has a network of tracks linking its beaches and lighthouses. No cars, no crowds once you walk past the port, just the path and the sea.
How to do it right
Spring and autumn are the seasons for coastal walking here: the light is soft, the scrub is in flower, and the heat is bearable. In high summer, walk early and carry plenty of water, as much of the path is exposed and shadeless by midday, and check for fire-risk closures before heading into the massifs and the Calanques. Wear proper shoes, as the rock is uneven and some sections are steep or vertiginous, and keep children close on the cliff edges.
Mauricette's Tip
Walk in the morning and build the day around a swim. Most of these paths drop to a cove sooner or later, so carry a towel and time your turnaround for the prettiest one, then let the afternoon heat send you back to the pool. For the closest fix, the coves at Le Pradet are ten minutes away and made for exactly this.
Make Villa Mauricette your base
Coast path by morning, sea and pool by afternoon: with the water on one side and the hills on the other, the villa is the base that puts the best of this coastline within easy reach. See the house and book direct for the best rate, up to 10% less than the platforms.
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