Hike Tourette Levens in the Côte d’Azur

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When you hear “Côte d’Azur” you may be thinking sun and summer fun, but there is more than coastline to this region in southern France. In the 18th century, the French Riviera was a winter destination for wealthy Brits to escape the gloomy north. But from our experience this past December, it seems most people only visit in the hot summer months when the sun and crowds are unbearable for me. It certainly was a great time of year for a hike on the French Riviera. At the base of the mountains are some adorable villages with incredible panoramas of the water and peaks. Two villages not far from Nice were the starting points to a pair of excellent hiking routes we went on. Saint Jeannet and Tourette Levens are within an hour from Nice.

Tour 1: Tourette Levens round trip hike

This beautiful 12 km/3.5 hr tour is very easy to follow. The entire time there is a yellow rectangle or red-white GR59 to guide you or signs pointing to the next destination. It was a perfect outing for winter, but be aware of rainfall. There had been 24 hours of rain before we did this tour and neither of us came back with dry feet. The usually small or nonexistent creeks were flowing more heavily, sometimes causing the entire trail to turn into a mini river. The first half of the tour is well protected by trees, but the second half is quite exposed to the sun. Be sure to bring a lot of water with you, especially in the summer. There is nowhere along the way to get water or snacks.

Start

To begin this hike we took bus 19 from the Vauban station in Nice to Tourette Levens. The bus runs fairly often, but check the schedule on the Lignes de Azur website. Even the bus ride is an adventure on this day trip. A river runs on both side of the winding road cutting the gorge in two, with high cliffs on either side. In Tourette Levens, we got off the bus at La Poste. From there, we followed the bus back out to the main road (M19) where we turned left. After passing two houses, we turned right and headed down Chemin de Chateauneuf-Villevieille. This at first concrete path goes over a small stream and then turns into a beautiful, wide, cobbled trail which has many switchbacks going up the mountain.

We began to smell something and realized we were surrounded by thyme and sage. The thyme is so hearty that it was even growing between rocks directly on the path. Their herby perfume accompanied us all day.

The Ruins

In the next village, we continued straight on Chemin du Pelaous until we reached Col de Chateauneuf de Contes. Here there is the first time we could get a glimpse of the snowcapped mountains. Then we followed signs for the Ruines de Chateauneuf. This castle-like pile of stones was actually at one time an entire village. The ruins are really extensive and worth a look around. They were the highlight of the trip for me.

The Peak

Once we explored the ruins, it was time to head towards the church. After the parking lot, we turned right onto a path to head towards the region’s highest peak, Mont Macaron at 806m. From here onwards the trail was pretty exposed. Even in December we wished we had brought some sun cream with us. But the whole time we were hiking there was an excellent view of Nice, the mountains, and the sea.

The Dogs

From the peak, it was a long way back down to Col de Bordinas.This was the scariest part of our trip. When we got to the village, the very first house was guarded by three extremely loud German shepherds. C and I each picked up a grapefruit sized stone to try and defend ourselves in case any of them decided to jump the utterly laughable fence.

Crossing the River

After this house, the trail meets a sort of park and then continues downhill to the actual river again. Here the water was obviously higher than usual. We could see where stepping stones had been laid, but now weren’t even causing the river to ripple because they were so far under the new water level. I just wadded on through with my quick-dry trail runners, but C was smarter and took off his shoes and socks for the crossing.

Heading Back

Having crossed the river a second time, the trail leads towards Traverse La Torre. The path follows the road for a little bit before going over a bridge. Then it turns left onto a path going up the cliff into Tourette Levens.

Tourette Levens

The town where our tour started and ended is worth a visit in itself! Luckily, the hike takes you through the town on your way back to the bus stop. There are plenty of cute shops and tiny alleys to get lost in. In December, the town was quiet but I can imagine it being a bit more bustling in the warmer months. There was a pair of funny houses with more Santa Clauses climbing into the windows than I could count. 🙂

Before getting out on this hike I hadn’t known what a mecca the Côte d’Azur could be for hiking, but the hills are excellent for getting divine views of the coast and mountains all in one. If this tour whetted your appetite, check out our other day trip on the Blue Coast with this tour in Saint Jeannet.