Stunning hike above Menton

Peaks above Menton rapidly reach 1000 m and more. Hiking trails are numerous and very popular in this region. The old village of Castellar is located about 5 km north of Menton. The access to Castellar is relatively easy from the A 8 motorway, although the normal route towards Sospel is not available at the moment because of the landslide last winter.

Both GR 51 and 52 pass through Castellar. The hike featured in this video clip to Mont Carpano is included in the selection of hikes in the booklet Pays Côtier and on their web site in French.

If you are planning a hike with extraordinary Riviera views combined with a moderate effort this is your choice. The vertical ascent is 450 m, duration about three hours. The ascent is initially along GR 51 to Plan du Lion then along GR 52 to south about 15 min before bifurcating left up to the nearby “summit” (772 m) at the Italian border.  There is not a clear mountaintop, just a ridge. The descent is first along GR 52 (a bit steep with loose gravel, poles recommended) as far as to an intersection. From there, an unpaved road leads back to Castellar, whereas the GR 52 trail descends all the way down to Menton.

We have done this hike three times so far, sometimes with visiting friends, and it has always been a success.