Saint-Jeannet

Village at the foot of a mountain on the Côte d'Azur

The town of Saint-Jeannet is located in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France. This is where the mountains begin. Yet it is only just over 30 kilometers from Cannes, Nice and the Mediterranean. The area is very popular with hikers and mountaineers. This is an undiscovered, and especially rugged side of the Côte d'Azur.

The reason for this is a fairly steep mountain of more than 800 meters high that may be conquered in various ways. There are a number of excursions in and around the village. A trip to Saint-Jeannet can easily be combined with a trip to the coast. As a result your journey has a great diversity. These are the attractions of Saint-Jeannet.

The Historical Center

The village is quite small. Whilst walking around here you will see many studios of artists who have relocated here over the years. Other artists also came here for the remoteness, the air and the view. Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, a poet and writer, was the most well-known. However Chagall, Matisse and Dufy were also here, their paintings often show Saint-Jeannet and the surroundings.

Baou Saint-Jeannet

Hiking at the Baou Saint-Jeannet. ©Corno van den Berg

The name Baou Saint-Jeannet is Provençal for rock. As you drive up you will notice it is an appropriate name. The village is at the foot of the steep rock face and is overshadowed by it. The rock can be climbed, like lots of daredevils do. But especially the hike to the top is popular. From the top you have a good view over the village, but also the coast and even the city of Nice and more.

Hiking to the Top

An ancient stone shelter along the road. ©Corno van den Berg

The hike to the top is 3,7 kilometres long. You have to conquer over 350 meters in altitude. You can do the walking tour in 1,5 hours, one way. The whole trip will take you about 2.5 hours in total. From the village, you will climb through narrow streets to find the path to the top.

Outside town it's a wide path, which was build for carts. At times it becomes a steep path, until you get to the top and walk to the edge. Along the way you will encounter numerous special plants and shrubs, including many wild herbs such as thyme and mountain lavender.

You will also discover distinctive houses, in which, among other things, the shepherds took shelter in bad weather. These are more than 1,000 years old according to archaeologists and you can still use them when it rains. They are scattered here and there on the mountain. You will see a few along the path.

The guide on the top of Baou Saint-Jeannet . ©Corno van den Berg

I did the hike at sunset so I could watch the sun go down. The drawback was the descend, because it was getting dark. I hired a local mountain guide, so I didn't have to worry about the route and the path. She works for Chemins d'Azur, a group of local mountain guides.

More information: Chemins d'Azur

Baou de la Gaude

The Baou de la Gaude is another steep mountain near Saint-Jeannet. This mountain can also be climbed and you can reach the summit on foot. However it is much less popular with hikers. Even though you have a lovely image of Baou Saint-Jeannet and its surroundings. Which is perfect for photos, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Visiting Saint-Jeannet

The village is just over half an hour's drive from Nice. It is also easily accessible to reach from Antibes and Cannes, for an ideal trip into the mountains. The best time is spring when a variety of flowers are in bloom. Autumn is also perfect with nice weather. It is also possible in the winter, just like in the summer. Then it is usually nice and cool at the top.

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