Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R160
Sospel » Peillon
Trail crossing
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5h45 |
19.1 km
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1191 m
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1164 m
This long, low-altitude stage leaves Sospel and heads towards the Farguet pass before descending again through very Mediterranean countryside to the preserved village of Peille before arriving at the hamlet of Peillon, the stage destination.
From the village, cross the Bévéra bridge, walk alongside the river on the right bank (westward) and at the last bridge, take Rue Vincent Comiti and then Rue Auda, which leads into an uphill road that opens onto departmental road D2204. Pass the bridge on the railway, walk past the cemetery and 150 metres away on the right, you will find the red and white markers for the GR® 510. A series of hairpin bends brings you to a road that serves the remote countryside areas overlooking Roccas valley. This brings you to the St Jean pass. Cross the D2204, take a little path on the left, cross the road once again, follow it for 300m approximately and then head to the left on an initially steeply climbing and fortunately shady path leading to the terrace of the Pape pass. Take the track on the left that heads directly southward to the Farguet pass (yellow markings). The track splits into two. Take the right-hand option for a few metres, which descends to the north, and then take the path that descends southward to the left into the monoclinal valley. The trail crosses a stream and 1km further it crosses a road to reach the hamlet of St-Siméon. Keep following the yellow markings. The trail winds its way down to the south and arrives at the hamlet of Pas d’Ongrand. From the hamlet, follow the road to the intersection with another road. Take this road to the right. About one hundred metres further, leave the road to take the path to the left that heads uphill and leads to the little Christo pass, where it joins the road. Follow the road to the left for a few metres and then take the track to the right that first heads northward and then south, giving way to a path that leads to the St-Bernard pass. Follow the tarmac road (Barn path) to the south leading to the village of Peille. Walk through the village on the Barri path, cross the road and take Rue du Castelet (stairs) and then Rue du Pous. Continue to head downhill and follow the signs for "La fontaine". The trail arrives on departmental road D53, which must be taken to the left. About 50 metres after the village, take the path to the right (yellow markings) that descends in hairpin bends into the little Farquin valley. The trail touches on the road once at a bend and continues to descend, crossing the Farquin stream and gently climbing again for 3km to then head downhill once more to the village of Peillon. Follow the signs that lead to Peillon village. (Paul Guglielmi, CDRP 06)
Natural and cultural heritage
This penultimate stage of Via Alpina offers the opportunity to discover the hanging villages so typical of Mediterranean civilisation, which adapted to the relief. The market towns of Peille or Peillon are therefore very characteristic today of this very narrow type of architecture and of these sinuous little streets, all of this perched on the edge of impressive cliffs. On leaving Sospel, between the St Roch and the Mont Barbonnet forts, both built in “Séré de Rivières” style, Via Alpina climbs to the St-Jean pass at 642m in altitude, in the eponymous ravine. It then continues to the ascent to the Baisse du Pape pass, from where it is possible to reach the top of the Lavina (1,117m), an interesting vantage point over Sospel, before continuing up to the Farguet pass below the summit of the same name (1,186m). Next, climb back down to the hamlet of St Siméon, and then take an old mule trail to the Ongrand pass, from where you can admire the Ours mountain (1,239m) on the left. The trail climbs again below the rock of the Pied de Jacques to the St Bernard pass, thus taking you to the hanging village of Peille nestling among forestland and olive groves, over which towers the Baudon (1,264m), the Rastel (802m) and the Agel (1,148m) mountain peaks. This old medieval town with its typical little streets has both a municipal and superior court owing to its past as a consular town, and tourists can pay a visit to Lascaris Palace, built on the edge of the cliff in the XVIIth century. But the parish church is also of great interest due to its pyramidal bell tower in local cut stone dating back to the XIInd century. In addition to the ruins of the old castle and the lookout post, there are other attractions such as the old Miséricorde and St Sébastien chapels and the modern St Martin-de-Peille chapel, the local history museum and the XVIth century Gothic fountain of which Léo Ferré speaks in one of his poems… But Peille is also synonymous with a great number of festivals: the wheat and lavender festivals, the Assumption, Les Baguettes festival, the Pomme Fleurie festival, or the festival of Ste-Anne at La Grave-de-Peille… On leaving Peille and after a vertiginous descent into the little Farquin valley, the trail takes the old Roman Way to reach Peillon, another village hanging over an eagle’s nest and overlooked by the Pointe de Lourqière (678m). The entire old village of Peillon is listed for its very typical architecture and its little winding streets, besides which the chapel of the White Penitents is decorated with XVth century frescoes by the travelling painter Canavesio. But Peillon also has a church dedicated to the Transfiguration, several oil and flour mills and a bronze sculpture workshop. (Nicolas Aubertin, Gilles Chappaz, Grande Traversée des Alpes)
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Socrate Georgiades - 2019-09-06
Contrairement à ce qui est indiqué sur le topo-guide, il n'y a aucune épicerie à Peille ni même à Peillon (la dernière a fermé en 1946). En revanche, il y a une crêperie à Peille dans un très beau cadre et un restaurant assez chic à Peillon. Donc, il faut bien prévoir son approvisionnement à Sospel pour ce dernier tronçon qui mène à Monaco en deux jours.
Automatic translation
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Contrary to what is indicated on the topo-guide, there is no grocery store in Peille or even in Peillon (the last closed in 1946). On the other hand, there is a creperie in Peille in a beautiful setting and a rather chic restaurant in Peillon. So, we must predict its supply to Sospel for this last stretch that leads to Monaco in two days.
Berta - 2018-09-01
In Peille gibt es ein Bed &Breakfast La Vela Doppelzimmer mit FS 100 €, wir konnten leider nichts günstigeres finden . Gutes Essen In der Creperia, man kann an einem idyllischen Platz draußen Essen. In Peillon auch nur eine teure Auberge
Automatic translation
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In Peille there is a Bed & Breakfast La Vela double room with FS 100 €, we could not find anything better. Good food In the creperia, you can eat outside in an idyllic place. In Peillon also only an expensive Auberge
frankie9594 - 2017-10-13
Monaco- Trieste
It is important to stay on the correct trail from Peillon to Peille. Leaving Peille esy to get on the wrong trail; there are biking trails, that can be mistaken for walking trails. The past over the last few kilometers begins to get overgrown in some places. In Sospel there are many places to sleep. There is also a free camping platz, possible to pitch a tent.
Elisabeth - 2016-11-28
1° Le GR 510, qui coupe la route à deux reprises, a besoin d'un bon débroussaillage : j'ai dû forcer le passage dans les ronces (avis à la commune de Sospel).
2° Le balisage, correct au départ, devient de plus en plus incertain à partir de Saint-Siméon et plus encore au Pas d'Ongrand et disparaît complètement à l'approche de Peille.
2° Malgré les doléances des randonneurs, il n'y a toujours pas de balisage correct pour trouver la direction de Peillon. Le point Information de Peille n'est d'aucun secours : personne ne connaît la Via Alpina ! De plus, erreur du descriptif : le départ du sentier est sur la gauche de la route et non sur la droite.
3° Il n'y a pas de gîte à Peillon, seulement une chic auberge (80 € la chambre sans le petit-déjeuner !). J'ai bivouaqué.
Automatic translation
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1 ° The GR 510, which cuts the road twice, needs a good brushing: I had to force the passage in the brambles (notice to the commune of Sospel). 2 ° The markup, correct at the beginning, becomes more and more uncertain from Saint-Siméon and even more at Pas d'Ongrand and disappears completely at the approach of Peille. 2 ° Despite the grievances of hikers, there is still no correct markup to find the direction of Peillon. The information point of Peille is no help: no one knows Via Alpina! In addition, error in the description: the start of the trail is on the left of the road and not on the right. 3 ° There is no cottage in Peillon, only a chic hostel (80 € per room without breakfast!). I bivouacked.
Vaeltava tohtori - 2014-08-21
Peillon is a museum town. Only Gite was open a week ago and full ( open on reservation only!!!!). No restaurants open on wednesday. But the nice girl in Initiative d'Syndicat tried to find a place for me. I decided to camp in olive grove nearby ( with olive grove's owners' permission of course)
Peillon to Peille is not well marked as i remember. Peille have a restaurant. Water and food available.
Easy to get on the wrong trail going up out of Peille then down to Pas d ongrand.
Col du farguet or little bit down (Baisse du pape) can make a good camping ground...woods available..no water...worth the effort going down to crash in Sospel (water and camping site available)
water is available even off season and possible to camp and take shower
details of this stage
http://viaalpina2013.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/day-1-monaco-sospel-2/
Possible to reach Sospel from monaco (8hours walking, 3hours off)
Jean-Louis GIRAUD - 2013-05-21
Aprés quelques difficultés a trouver le bon itinéraire dans la traversée de PEILLE, le balisage étant inexistant, j'ai rejoint PEILLON par un ancien chemin muletier. Arrivé dans ce vieux village et faute d'une autre solution, j'ai repris la trace pour marcher jusqu'a La TURBIE. En effet, le propriétaire de l'Auberge de la Madone n'était pas vraiment disposé à aménager l'horaire du petit dejeuner du lendemain. Regrets !
J'ai donc découvert LA TURBIE et le Rocher de MONACO avec un peu d'avance. J'aurais également pu terminer la Via Alpina dans la foulée...Finalement, j'ai trouvé un hotel dans la rue principale, à proximité du " Trophée des Alpes ".
Hotel NAPOLEON
7 Avenue de la Victoire
04 93 51 62 66
Email: le-napoleon@orange.fr
Automatic translation
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After some difficulty in finding the right route when crossing PEILLE, markup being nonexistent, I joined PEILLON by an ancient mule track. Arrived in this old village and lack of an alternative, I took the trail to walk up the TURBIE. Indeed, the owner of the Auberge de la Madone was not really willing to adjust the timetable of the breakfast the next day. Regrets! So I discovered THE MONACO TURBIE and Rock with a little advance. I would also have been able to complete the Via Alpina in stride ... Finally, I found a hotel on the main street, close to the "Trophée des Alpes". Hotel NAPOLEON 7 Victory Avenue April 93 51 62 66 Email: le-napoleon@orange.fr
After passing Pas d'Ongrand and entering the driving-road after a approx. 100 altitude meters upwards, the hiking direction indeed goes shortly northern. Since I was a little bit weired about this, I talked to a car-driver and directly followed the street to Peile. Whatever path you take, it should take almost the same time.
There's no way sign in Peile aiming the way to Peillon, only a weak yellow marker on a sharp turn of the road. Just follow this hiking path. You'll soon find other yellow path markers on the next few meters.
Dury Dominique - 2010-04-18
La chambre d'hôte "Les Lavandes" à Peille n'existe plus depuis 3 ans.
Automatic translation
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The B & B "The Lavenders" no longer exists in Peille 3 years.
Come da vostre indicazioni mi sono fermato per una mezza pensione all'Auberge de la Madone a Peillon. Il prezzo totale anziche essere 44 Euro come da voi indicato fu di 120 Euro poi ridotto a 108. Credo che questa info venga data ai futuri escursionisti vista la notevole differenza di prezzo.
Automatic translation
[Google]
As per your instructions, I stopped for a half-board at the Auberge de la Madone Peillon. The total price to be 44 instead of Euro as you indicated was then reduced to 120 Euro to 108. I think this info is given to future hikers given the significant price difference.
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5h45 |
19.1 km
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1191 m
|
1164 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.