Discover perched castles by bike
You enter a vertical world on this stage. Many heritage sites here stand out on high; at various points you can spot them from far down below. This pattern offers cyclists an elating game as you go along.
At various points you can branch off the Méditerranée à Vélo route to climb to a castle, a fort or a church, all perched like eyries. In each case, the amazing views are enough to make these ascents
worthwhile.
Of course, an electric bike makes a fine choice in these parts to help you reach all these perched villages.
Tailor-made itineraries
Tailor-made itineraries
12 Meyrargues / Draguignan
Play at spotting perched castles at the start of this joyous stage of the Mediterranean Cycle Route through the Haut-Var area. Many cyclists you encounter will be following the circuit Les Châteaux de l’Ouest Haut-Var. The privately-owned Château de St-Martin-de-Pallières offers a perfect example of the remarkable castles of these parts, dominating their villages. After steep portions on quiet road, you join easier stretches on former train lines. Les Carmes’s pools at Barjols and Sillans Waterfall provide refreshing stops. Between Salernes and Flayosc, a former portion of train line takes you through a staggering, almost wild defile. Once the slope up to Le Flayosquet tackled, enjoy the descent to Draguignan, although this is technically demanding.
13 Draguignan / Cannes
Leaving Draguignan, tackle a series of wooded hills up to St-Martin. After a stretch crossing St-Pons’s vine-filled valley, the Mediterranean Cycle Route route joins the Route des Gorges at the level of Figanières. After the charming village of Callas, a steep ascent to the Boussaque Pass is then counterbalanced by a lovely descent along the D25 road to Bargemon. Next, a former rail line going through wooded slopes acts as your guide, the highlight here Rayol Viaduct, before you reach Fayence, reputed for hang-gliding. Lastly, the route follows small county roads around Grasse, known for its fields of flowers, used to make world-famous perfumes, before leading you down to the Med and Cannes.