The French Riviera is full of walks and hikes of all kinds. Between the walks by the Sea, the walks in the perched villages of the South of France and the hikes on the heights, one does not know any more where to put the head. But if there is one easy and accessible hike that I love doing in this region, it is the hike from Baou des Blancs to Col de Vence. A route that I have included in my list of the best sea view hikes on the French Riviera.
Let’s find out more about this great walk.
1. But what is actually a Baou?
A baou is mainly a term used in the south of France which means “a small mountain with a flat top”. There are 4 baou in the Alpes Maritimes region: baou des Blancs, baou des Noirs, baou de Saint-Jeannet (visible from the coast) and baou de la Gaude.
2. The starting point of the Baou des Blancs
There are several starting points for this walk, which is located in the Regional Natural Park of the Préalpes d’Azur above Vence. You can either start the walk from the tourist office in Vence, avenue Henri Isnard, and walk up to the Coursegoules road, which is at an altitude of 450m, along winding paths. If you don’t have time, you can park directly at the small car park on the Coursegoules road and start the walk there. As for me, I park my car at the Villa Casamaste and walk up the path of the rooms to reach the path of the spring. I then follow the Lubiane river to find myself in front of Ludovic Limosin’s equestrian centre. The walk can begin!
3. Things to discover
- An exceptional panoramic view of the entire French Riviera!
The summit of Baou des Blancs is located at 673m altitude where the panoramic view is just incredible. Once you reach the top, you will have the opportunity to see various landmarks of the region:
-To the east, you will come across the village of Aspremont located between Mount Cima and Mount Chauve. On the coast, you will see the peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferrat and the airport of Nice.
-In the background you will see Mount Agel overlooking the Dog’s Head and the peaks of the Alps.
-To the south, you will find the Cap d’Antibes and the Bay of Angels in Villeneuve Loubet.
-In the foreground, you overlook the old Vence and discover the incredible architecture of the fortifications around the old town.
You can also see the famous village of Saint Paul de Vence where you can find great places to have lunch, dinner or a drink like the restaurant Les Remparts de Saint Paul de Vence.
- A spectacular sunset
One of the best times of day to go for this walk is when the sun goes down. It’s great to watch while eating your picnic baguette, sausage and glass of wine!
4. Some useful information
- Difficulty: easy
- Elevation gain: 177m
- Duration: 2 hours round trip
- Kilometers: 7km
- Recommended period: January to November in sunny weather
5. Equipment to be provided
- A good pair of shoes (a pair of hiking shoes would be ideal but the path is passable even with a pair of trainers)
- Cap and sunglasses if the day is going to be sunny
- A bottle of water
- A picnic to eat at the top while admiring the view
- Suitable for children and animals
