The coastal path crosses the communes of the Tourisme Provence Méditerranée which touch the sea. The landscapes can be ethereal, ideal for sports fans or full of plants, but the different landscapes are all as pretty as each other.
A little hike along the sea path
This morning, we’ve decided to walk along the section of the coastal path located between la Coudoulière beach at the village of Saint Mandrier, and St Asile beach, in the area of Pin Rolland.
As this is a family outing, we have decided to take it easy and only do the outward walk. We set off with two vehicles, and we leave one at Pin Rolland. Then, we take the famous winding road to get to the centre of Saint Mandrier, and we park at la Coudoulière beach, located behind the village. Of course, you can go there and back if you wish, it will take you about 2 ½ hours to walk the whole distance.
Between umbrella pines and the big blue sea
We’re ready, with our hiking boots and water bottles, for this walk along the coastline. Before we start, we already have a quick stop on the pretty la Coudoulière beach to admire the round pebbles, polished by the sea. This beach, facing the open sea, has a wild side to it that we seem to like. There are people fishing who, by the look of their catch, seem to have already been there for several hours!
We check our position on the signs along the path and leave the beach following the yellow marks on the ground. We take some rather steep steps and quickly we find ourselves walking under the shade of the pine trees, with a wonderful view of the beach that we have just left. The sky is a bit cloudy, but it is still bright. We carry on, enjoying every minute of the view towards the open sea.
The Mediterranean Coast and its treasures
The path skirts around a zone occupied by the French Navy, which has a lot of activity at St Mandrier, then we get to a belvedere where you can admire the famous Two Brothers Rocks and the Cap Sicié headland. We need a little break! The view is beautiful and the green forest gives an impression of almost being in the mountains… A little further on, there is an orientation table where you can see a map with: Cap Sicié, 2 Frères, Notre Dame du Mai, Cap Cepet, Creux St Georges… we will soon be experts in the landmarks of Ouest Var.
As we get closer to the end of the walk, the landscape becomes more maritime. Even though the weather is relatively cool, we almost feel like going for a swim, or at least go to dip our feet in the water. The Two Brothers are watching us from afar. The rock becomes ochre. The palm trees on St Asile beach are showing their face, and our walk starts to take on a Californian feel! It’s already time to go back and so we take one last look at the big blue sea. We have had nice big breath of pure, fresh air. And the power of the nearby sea has recharged our batteries.
Wonderful views!
A little tip for photo fans: you can easily do the walk in either direction. If you leave from la Coudoulière beach, like us, the sun will be behind you in the morning. In the afternoon or evening, you will be able to admire some gorgeous sunsets. It’s up to you!
Did you know? La Coudoulière beach is the perfect place for trying out rock balancing. Do you know about this? It’s an art which consists of balancing up pebbles on each other and make some spectacular shapes which seem to defy gravity. Kids and grown ups can have fun with this at their own level. All you need is a bit of patience!
