Hikes in Aspremont

An easy route a few kilometers from Nice, with unrivaled views of the Baie des Anges and the Var department and the possibility of seeing Corsica.

Clear Mediterranean landscapes to the narrow gorges of the Vésubie. 

From the shores of the Mediterranean, stroll through Old Nice, discover the local history and gastronomy before embarking on an adventure on the Paganino dal Pozzo route. You will stop in the perched village of Aspremont and its olive terraces.

Nice half-day route above the roofs of Nice

On 04/21/2024 Starting from Aspremont

Taster tour with postcard panoramaIt is perhaps the most beautiful panoramic hill between the azure blue waters and the snow-white Mercantour peaks: le Mont Chauve d'Aspremont, the "bare mountain of Aspremont". The pretty village is first the starting point and later - from the high trail - one of the highlights of this impressive short tour. Even more impressive are the changing perspectives of the alpine mountain range with the southernmost three-thousand-metre peaks in the Alps. In the opposite direction, the sea of houses of Nice lies at your feet in the "Bay of Angels" and, to the west, the striking Var valley.Incidentally, Mont Chauve is by no means as bare as its name suggests. The terrain is characterized by typical Mediterranean vegetation with low-growing shrubs, pine trees and mountain oaks. In short: a lot of experience for little effort - an ideal tour to get to know the hinterland of Nice.

Mont Chauve d’Aspremont (the “Bald Mountain”) rises directly behind Nice. The mountain is crowned by a fort built between 1885 and 1888 to secure the border with Italy. The magnificent views of Nice and the Alps can be enjoyed from the roof of the fort.▶ There is a signpost in front of the town hall in Aspremont 01. We head toward Mont Chauve and walk alongside the road leading to Nice. Then, the white-and-red trail markers and a signpost guide us onto a narrow path to the right. The path runs above some community gardens, and we come to a country road, which we cross. An asphalt road takes us uphill and past the school on the right. We reach a junction 02, which we’ll return to later from the right. First, we continue straight ahead toward Col de la Prairie. At the next fork, we take the path slightly to the right. From here on, the trail is marked in yellow, and signs point us toward Mont Chauve. The path climbs steeply and rocky at times through pine trees. At a signpost, we make a sharp right turn toward Baisse de Guido 03, which we reach after a short distance. We pass the entrance to a tunnel and arrive at a parking lot 04 with a fantastic view of Nice. We continue past a barrier toward the fort. A gravel path 05 branches off to the left. We’ll resume our hike there later. First, we take a detour up the paved road—which winds its way uphill—to the Mont Chauve d’Aspremont fortress 06. Back on the gravel path 05, we hike toward Crête de Graus. There we meet the GR5 long-distance hiking trail 07 and take the path to the right toward Aspremont. From here on, the trail is marked in white and red again. A beautiful stretch of trail follows, winding through broom bushes and offering magnificent views of the Var Valley. We descend steeply over scree until we reach junction 02, which we recognize from our outward journey. We turn left and follow the same path back to our starting point in front of the town hall in Aspremont 01.

Departure from Tourette Levens to reach the Guigou pass then Mt Chauve before descending to the Ratapignatta cave and finishing at Gairaut.

Pleasant, short hike, ideal for all audiences. The trailhead is located opposite the kennel, on the right, however not indicated, on the road leading to the Croix du Cuor.

from the hamlet of Loubiere above Castagnier.