Category — Hikes and Trails in Provence

Hikes and Trails in Provence Coast

by Evelyne

Forests and Garrigue in Provence

BEWARE OF FOREST FIRES

Do not throw cigarette butts

Do not use BBQ or campfire

Do not light firecrackers nor matches

Do not enter restricted forested areas between June and September.

CALL 08 11 20 13 13 before riding of hiking in forested areas.

Discover ‘Pinedes’ (Mediterranean forests): Aleppo Pine and Cicadas
Walks in the Garrigue and discover ‘Herbes de Provence’
Valuable benefits of thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, basil…otherwise called ‘Herbes de Provence’.
Beside giving tasty flavor in cooking, these plants have excellent properties for curing and relieving cold, stomach and digestion problems, dry skin , and more.

More on Provence Herbs and Spicesr (French)

Hikes and Discoveries by foot along Provence Coast

Grand Rouveau Island (Six-Fours-Les-Plages) : Departure by boat from La Coudouliere to the Rouveau Island (Fee). Discover island flora, views of the mainland coast. Appr: 2h
Le Brusc and Gaou Island: Follow the bike path from Sanary/mer toward Six-Fours and Le Brusc along the seashore (5 miles). Continue to the end of Le Brusc and go over the bridge to Le Gaou Island. Trails along the shore, in the forest, beaches. Free access
Parc de la mediterranee: Along the trail between Six-fours and Le Brusc, discover the botanical center and historical site of Jardin de le mediterranee. Free access
Notre Dame de Mai: From Le Brusc follow the seashore and take the road towards Cap Sissie / Fabregas. Climb through the forest and discover breathtaking view of the mediterannean sea wild open and views of Toulon and as far as Marseille. Visit the chapel of Notre de Dame de Mai and the summet.
Gros Cerveau Trails: From Ollioules follow the direction to Gros Cerveau trail.
Chapelle de la Pepiole: From Sanary/mer follow the road to Toulon
Sea Shore Trail (Sentier du littoral): From Sanary/mer follow the road toward Port-Issol, continue along the seashore toward la Cride – Beaucour – La Gorgette. Follow the road along the sea toward Bandol.
Bandol to Saint-Cyr and beyond: From Bandol, follow signs to Renecros beach, continue along the seashore. Trail along the shore toward Saint Cyr
“Callanques”: Callanque de Figurerolles in La Ciotat (access from downtown)
Cassis and Marseille Calanques: Access by road from Cassis or Marseille. By Boat from Sanary/mer, Bandol, Saint-Cyr

Provence Gardens

Lavender
Mimosa
Laurel Flowers
Palm Trees
Olive Trees

It is harvest time in Provence!

After wine harversting, before olives picking, chestnut is now the focus of all interests.

Who says Chestnut, means Collobrières. The Maures region capital is the center of the most beautiful orchard of the department. On the 10.000 hectares of green spaces and oxygen, 1.000 are dedicated to this tree that was for a while neglected, and is now being rediscovered for its vertues.

It is first an efficient firebreaker as we have often seen fires being stopped at the edge of chestnuts massif. Its fruits are delicious and are often used in dishes, desserts, soups, creams and others.

Its nutritious values are stunning and it is a mine of vitamins and minerals. It contains for 100g, 10 mg of Vitamin A, 25 mg of Vitamin B1, 20 mg of Vitamin B2, 220 of Vitamin C (as much as limon), 34 mg of calcium, 93 mg of phosphorus, 560 mg of potassium, 65 mg of sodium, 68 mg of sulphur, 51 mg of magnesium, .7 mg of iron.

Green Provence is also shows unique places and ambiance, candle dinners, jazz brunch, soups festivals…

These are places pleasant to live and where we appreciate products from earth and human contributions, where we cultivate art of Provencal Living.

September 4, 2010 Comments Off

La Ciotat and Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer

by Evelyne

Larger view of La Ciotat and Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer area

La Ciotat
La Ciotat
Shuttle boat to “Green Island” from La Ciotat harbor (French)
“Calanques” visit from La Ciotat (French)

Saint-Cyr-sur-mer
Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer
Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer official website
Dolce Fregate Resort – St-Cyr-sur-mer

September 3, 2010 No Comments

Sanary-sur-Mer and Ollioules

by Evelyne

Larger View of Sanary-sur-Mer and Ollioules Area

Sanary-sru-mer

An unique place on the Provence coast, is the little fishing town of Sanary-sur-mer. Its climate, location, history, culture and lifestyle make it an ideal choice to start discovering the coast of Provence.

Sanary – Facts of interest

Greeks and romans had trading posts in the gulfs around Sanary-sur-mer. The surrounding beaches are rich in archeological vestiges and ruins (i.e:Port Issol)
Intellectual and artists took refuge in Sanary-sur-mer between 1st and 2nd world wars – B. Brecht, T. Mann… lived in still existing houses in Sanary-sur-mer. Other famous anglo-saxon writers have spent time in Sanary. Amoung them, Aldous Huxley who wrote Brave New World (1932) in 4 months in La Gorguette area in Sanary-sur-mer
Sanary is considered as the birth place of modern scuba diving and underwater movies. F. Dumas, P. Tailliez and J.Y Cousteau, also known as ‘Mousquemers‘, experimented modern scuba diving equipment and made famous underwater movies in the sea around Sanary-sur-mer (Port Issol, Bandol bay).
Sanary-sur-mer is known for its unique wooden fishing boats
Some of the eldest wineyeards (dating from roman empire) can be found in Bandol, Le Beausset, … few miles west of Sanary-sur-mer.