La Véloroute du Littoral (coastal cycle route)

After having made the most of the calm atmosphere of Sanary-sur-Mer,its little shopping streets, its diving museum and the little harbour with its pointus boats, it’s time to get back on your bike! The Véloroute du Littoral awaits you and for this first stage, head for Hyères. On the way, two viewpoints are well worth stopping for: Cap Nègre and the fort of Six-Fours-les-Plages, which overlooks the bay of Toulon. Take advantage of it to see the Collégiale Saint-Pierre just next door. When you arrive at Seyne-sur-Mer, a link route takes you to the Plage des Sablettes beach for a swim. In Toulon, you can slow down and take the time to admire the Port de l’Arsenal, the former Corderie (rope factory) and the Musée de la Marine. Use the link to ride along the coast and discover the Tour Royale and the monument erected as a homage to submariners and reach the Anse de Méjean via the pretty quartier du Mourillon and Fort Saint-Louis. Back to the main itinerary and stop off at the Plage des Pins Penchés beach and then on to the Presqu’île de Giens. Before crossing the double tombolo which characterizes it, have a look athe Olbia archaeological site and admire the Salins des Pesquiers. At the end of the peninsula you will see the Tour Fondue and the underwater trail of the same name, which are part of the NEPTUNE project for the valorisation and protection of the coastline. Explore the beauty of the sea bed before climbing once more onto your bike and continuing your adventure into the centre of Hyères. One down and five to go!

As you leave Hyères, you’ll be riding past Les Vieux Salins which have an exceptional ornithological heritage. And on the same theme of nature, the Jardin Zoologique Tropical in La Londe-les-Maures is an animal and botanical park that those who love wildlife will adore. The little extra: the park offers a cycle welcome! A little further on, in Bormes-les-Mimosas, take some time for a wander around the pretty little streets of the village filled with mimosa or bougainvillaea in flower depending on the season. If you like diving, stop off in Le Lavandou and take to the sea to explore the wonderful Port Cros National Park. When you leave Le Lavandou, stop off at the Villa Théo Van Rysselberghe, the former house of the painter which is now an art centre. Back on the waterside road, ride past Cap Nègre and Le Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, where you can stop for a « memory » break at the National necropolis before going on to discover the superb Domaine du Rayol, a landscaped garden on the Corniche des Maures. As you go on towards Cavalaire, you can stop off at the Maison de la Nature, which is committed to raising awareness on environmental challenges, and see the Maison Foncin. When you get to La Croix-Valmer, you’ll be able to admire the remains of the Gallo-Roman Villa Pardigon II, before going on to Grimaud. That’s the second stage done!

In Port Grimaud, enjoy the gentle Provencal atmosphere of this picturesque town on a lake. Now, head up to Grimaud: the medieval village and its château are well worth a visit, offering a view over the bay of Saint-Tropez on one side and the Massif des Maures on the other. If you are passing through in the summer don’t miss the walk through the boufainvileas in bloom! Have you got a bit of time before you have to leave? Take the cycle link to wander around Saint-Tropez, admire the citadel and the Château de la Moutte ! As you go through Sainte-Maxime, take a break: it’s a beautiful place to stop off at, walk along the streets through the markets, go to the beach or have a walk as far as the Pointe des Sardinaux nicknamed “little Corsica”. And then it’s back on the road again to Fréjus and the former Gallo-Roman breeding pond of La Gaillarde et les Etangs de Villepey. Number three complete!

Between the Estérel and the Mediterranean, Fréjus is a great place to have a break: with its Roman remains and religious and architectural buildings, it has a particularly rich history. For example, the Roman amphitheatres, the aqueduct, the Villa Aurélienne, the episcopal group, the chapel of Notre-Dame de Jérusalem and the Cocteau Chapel… Make your choice! Fréjus is also a doorway to the Massif de l’Estérel and its fascinating red rocks. Make the most of this magnificent setting to get your strength back, because the rest is more athletic: it’s quite a climb to reach Montauroux! On the way, the Belvedere of the Malpasset dam will be a good excuse to have a break. And when you’ve got your breath back, get back on the road for Montauroux along the right bank of the Lake of Saint-Cassien. And that’s number four done!

From Montauroux, take the beautiful Balcons d’Azur road for Vence with some perfumed stops: first of all in Grasse, the historic capital of perfume, then Tourrettes-sur-Loup, the capital of violets with its museum dedicated to the flower and a magnificent hilltop village offering a panoramic view of the surroundings. When you arrive in Vence, have a cultural break and visit the historic town, the Matisse Chapel or the Fondation Maeght. And if you still want to climb up further, admire the bird’s eye view from the Col de Vence! And what about a bit of comfort before the effort: what about biting into a craquelin, the brioche made in Vence, before getting back on the Véloroute? Enjoy… That was number five!

Now that you’ve got your strength back, set off on the last stage which will take you to Nice, making the most of still being up high to get a lovely view. After you’ve taken the old viaduct in Saint-Jeannet, you’ll go through Carros, with its château which is home to the Centre International d’Art Contemporain, and Le Broc, where you’ll have a wonderful view over the Var Valley and the Broc Lake. Then, start cycling down towards the sea along the course of the Var River to Saint-Laurent-du-Var, and then on to Nice. Make a small detour to the picturesque harbour of Cros-de-Cagnes before the last effort which will take you up the Promenade des Anglais to peacefully admire the mythical Baie des Anges. And when you get off your bike in Nice, here’s a whole world of culture and architecture to discover: Art Deco buildings, the shops on the Rue des Ponchettes, the Chagall Museum, the Matisse Museum, the Terra Amata Prehistory Museum, the Nice-Cimiez archaeological museum, the market on Cours Saleya, Mont Vinaigrier, the fort on Mont Alban… And that makes six, so enjoy your visits!