From Toulon, along the Var coastline

From Toulon, we hopped on the train to Aubagne, at the gateway to the Garlaban massif. Here, arid limestone hills forge an instantly-recognizable landscape, brought to fame by the writings and childhood memories of Marcel Pagnol. You can visit the house where the author was born (Maison Natale de Marcel Pagnol) to glean a deeper understanding of his world, his profound love of Provence and the inspiration he drew from this magnificent scenery.

Just a few minutes from the town centre, Aubagne’s world-famed Poterie Ravel welcomes visitors to its workshops. The guided tour allows you to see the various manufacturing stages of their iconic earthenware creations and offers a fascinating insight into know-how handed down through generations.

In the afternoon, it’s time to head to Domaine de la Font de Mai at the foot of the Garlaban hills to pick up our electric bikes. Very soon, the trails begin climbing gently through majestic, arid scenery of pine trees and sweeping vistas, offering a whole new angle on these hills so dear to Pagnol. At the end of the trail, stop off at the Font de Mai café for a refreshing drink and rest in countrified surroundings.

Before leaving the santon figurine capital, we simply had to take a detour to the Garlabar rooftop venue offering superb views over the Garlaban – the perfect place for a sundowner!

You’ll find the GPX track for Day 1 here.

Dynamic, arty and youthful, Toulon has reinvented itself in recent years to become one of the Mediterranean’s most vibrant cities. We recommend starting your day tour with a stroll around the giant food market on Cours Lafayette – a great way to mix with the locals!

The bay of Toulon is truly unique (Vauban even referred to it as “Europe’s finest natural harbour”), so a boat tour is a real must. Simply head to Quai de la Sinse and climb aboard: Les Bateliers Côte d’Azur offer services to Porquerolles island, while Les Bateliers de la Rade host guided tours of the bay and naval base. Viewed from the sea, the city unveils a whole new facet: a vast natural harbour set against a backdrop of mountains, oozing with maritime history and heritage. To the north, Mont Faron, the most iconic of Toulon’s five mounts, proudly stands guard over the city.

After our maritime adventure, we headed back to firm land for lunch on the port before diving into a more creative world with a tour of the former bishopric (l’Évêché). A foremost contemporary design hub, this venue showcases numerous events, including the world-famous Design Parade. A great opportunity to admire the work of the city’s talented young designers.

The afternoon continues at the Tour Royale. From there, we hopped onto the coastal footpath (sentier du littoral) running along the coast to Port Saint-Louis and the Mourillon beaches. Dotted with coves, the stroll offers up one of the most picturesque natural faces of Toulon. The Anse Magaud section has now reopened, so you can enjoy the walk to the full.

You’ll find the GPX track for our day in Toulon here.

Our bikes were delivered straight to our hotel for the last day, so we enjoyed a casual last pedal around some of the streets of the awakening city before heading to the cycle path – a top-quality, flat route perfect for pedalling at your own pace. We’re soon far from the city hubbub, cycling next to secondary roads amid Mediterranean vegetation. The cycle path measures around thirty kilometres and crosses Le Pradet, Carqueiranne, l’Almanarre and Hyères. From there, you’ll need to take the V65 route to La Londe-les-Maures, running alongside the old saltmarshes before curving inland to the Var area’s pride and joy: its vineyards.

And speaking of wine, we recommend stopping off at Domaine de Figuière, a family-owned estate for over 30 years growing sophisticated organic wines. Basking amid the vines, the estate also offers delightfully peaceful, countrified picnics consisting of a little hamper filled with hand-picked colourful local produce including cheese, charcuterie and a fruit platter – the ideal treat after a sporty day out on two wheels. While you’re there, take time to admire the Mediterranean Sea in the distance and congratulate yourself on your cycling adventure. And if you’re still on form, you can even opt for a cycling tour of the wine estate!

We wound up our day at the Jardin zoologique tropical just next to the estate, where little-known animal species thrive in the shade of rare tropical plants. The families of lemurs and meerkats frankly stole our heart.

You’ll find the GPX track for our cycling tour here.