MASSIF DE L'ESTEREL

Between the shores of the Mediterranean and the limestone Provence, the Esterel is a volcanic massif of 32,000 hectares, 14,000 of which are classified, which dates back 250 million years. This massif, which extends over four communes of the Var (Fréjus, Bagnols-en-Forêt, Les Adrets-de-l'Estérel, Saint-Raphaël) and two of the Alpes-Maritimes (Théoule-sur-Mer and Mandelieu-la-Napoule) is remarkable for its amazing red color, due to the rhyolite, a volcanic rock from the primary era, and its steep cliffs which plunge into the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. Its main sights are to be discovered in different ways, hiking and horseback riding (100 kilometers of bridle paths), mountain biking (100 kilometers of circuits), climbing, by car (about 42 kilometers of road).
Unavoidable hikes:

- Mount Vinaigre, reached after about 2 hours of walking, mostly in the shade of the trees of the massif, to appreciate, at 641 meters of altitude, a 360° view on the massif of Estérel, the Pre-Alps, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the bay of Cannes;

- the Cap Roux, where from the orientation table there is an exceptional 360° panorama, with a stop on the way at the Sainte-Baume cave where the hermit Saint Honorat lived;

- the Barthélémy rock, easy to access and accessible to people with reduced mobility, where you can walk along a biological trail of scents dotted with explanatory markers on the environment;

- the pic de l'Ours, for its superb panoramic views as far as the eye can see on the mount Vinaigre, the western and eastern Perthus peak, the rock of Roquebrune-sur-Argens, the Mercantour, the Mediterranean, the Lérins islands, Cannes;

- Cape Dramont, where the path, which winds along the side of the cliffs, will lead you to the semaphore from which you will enjoy an exceptional panorama on the bay of Saint-Raphaël, before going down to the small picturesque port of Poussaï;

- the Blavet gorges, a climbing paradise located on the borders of the Estérel at Bagnols-en-Forêt, to discover a red ochre landscape carved in volcanic rocks that offer geological curiosities such as the Muéron cave;

- the coastal path, traced on the old customs route, which undulates between the Mediterranean and the Esterel massif, from the port of Santa Lucia to the beach of Camp Long, after having crossed heavenly coves and several fine sand beaches.

By strong mistral, the massif is forbidden to any kind of traffic by prefectural decision. Vehicle traffic is forbidden from 9pm to 6am.