Family Hike To the Baou de Saint Jeannet - One of the Highest Points on the Coast

Almost everyone who has landed in Nice airport and taken the A8 motorway west towards Cannes / Antibes has seen the imposing and rather magnificent-looking Baou de Saint Jeannet rising up on the right hand side just behind Vence. (Baou is an old Provencal word for big rock)

How about taking the family up there to witness some of the most amazing views the French Riviera has to offer?

The table d'orientation and viewing point at the top of Baou de Saint Jeannet

This hike has quite a lot of elevation (approx. 380m) so would only be suitable for older children (I would recommend a minimum of about 6 years old) and is not pushchair accessible.

The shortest route up and back is probably about a 2.5 hour walk for the 6km distance depending on your pace but you can add in an extra Baou (de la Gaude) and / or extend the loop very easily for those who are looking for something a bit longer.

Baou St Jeannet

Hike to Baou de Saint Jeannet 

Total Distance: 6km       Elevation: 380m     Estimated Time: 2h30     Difficulty: Easy/Medium

The hike starts at a big parking area as you enter the village of Saint Jeannet - 24 Promenade de Sainte Petronille, 06640. There are further parking spots as you descend out of the carpark but BEWARE  - do not exit the car park via this road… it becomes extremely narrow with hairpin bends. We ended up having to reverse back up it! Rather exit the carpark back onto Promenade de Sainte Petronille.

TOP TIP: Be sure to arrive early enough to get a parking spot – the carpark is often already full by 10am.

The walk starts by going up the steps beside the bus stop and toilets towards the village. Follow the red and white markings (which indicate a Grand Randonne - GR) at signpost 90 (brown wooden posts) as they take you through the village. Eventually the markings take you up a steep road (Rue du Baou) and then onto a trail (follow the brown signposts to Baou de Saint Jeannet). The path is wide and rocky and rises continually. After about 900m you will arrive at a junction where you can continue left to Baou de Saint Jeannet or right to Baou de la Gaude. 

The village of Saint Jeannet

The wide and rocky path out of Saint Jeannet

Take the left path and soon after you take another left to leave this path at signpost 85 (you will now have left the red/white markings). This is a steeper path heading up to the south and the Baou. This will eventually bring you out onto the plateau where again you go left and following the yellow markings you will reach the ‘edge’ and the table d’orientation to take in some of the best views in the area.

The steep path up the side of the Baou

A scramble up to the plateau

To return, retrace your steps for a while until you reach a signpost pointing left to GR51 - this is located just before a fairly large rock. Follow this off to the left and after some twisting and turning it will bring you back onto the GR51 at signpost 83. Here you turn right and head back down to the junction with signpost 84. You then return down the same wide rocky path back to the village and a well-deserved drink in the Bar / Restaurant Saint Barbe.

Advice: This hike is very exposed and there is nowhere to get water on route – it is best advised to do in the spring or autumn. If you do attempt it in summer please take lots of water with you. Please also take a map with you.

Be very careful near the edge and keep children well back

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