Hikes in Provence and the French Riviera on “Le Balcon de la Mediterranée” with long time favorite guide Laurent Langoisseur!

A Follow the Leader Trip with MTS Guide Favorite, Laurent Langoisseur

When traveling, there are always destinations you simply can't skip. France has this powerful draw. Marseille and la Provence are among these iconic regions one needs to discover. The climate, the herbs' smell of rosemary, sage, thyme, and the outstanding landscapes have attracted travelers for a millennium. This combined with the brilliant leadership of star guide and French native, Laurent Langoisseur, make this itinerary positively irresistible!

During the last ice age, the sea was lower than it is today but when the glaciers receded, raging streams and rivers carved deep canyons through the white limestone fringing the coastline, and the sea rose flooding these new born valleys much to the pleasure of hikers and tourists today. A few miles away, authentic villages' Provencal, surrounded by vineyards, are havens for artists, while further inland we find rolling hills covered by large oak forests, as well as protected islands, and other beautiful villages that have made Provence so famous. Thanks to the GR51 (a 200-mile hiking trail linking Marseille to Menton, also known as the "Balcon de la Mediterrannée" or the "Balcony of the Côte d'Azur"), we'll enjoy this beautiful region the way it was meant to be enjoyed-by foot.

"I've always thought on a voyage with shorter hikes, through lovely villages, beautiful landscape and where we have all the time we need to enjoy the time being. That trip was born last fall visiting friends in the south of France. I rediscovered the pleasure to hike on easy trails, with great smells and couldn't stop thinking to share it with you. This trip is easy to moderate and based on beautiful walks, great food, tasty local wines? Please join me!"
~ Laurent Langoisseur

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Activities

6 days moderate to strenuous hiking over rocky and uneven terrain (max. elev. 1,308')

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy spectacular scenery in the Massif des Calanques where long narrow inlets between high limestone rocks are dramatic and breathtaking, with hidden beaches tucked within!
• Hike through Provence, one medieval hilltop village to the next, and take in the fragrance of wild herbs and flowers along the way.
• Discover the hidden bays off the coast of Bandol wine country, and explore the protected eco systems of Port Cros Island.
• Walk the French Riviera to Saint Tropez along hiker's paths that skirt the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea!

Duration: 9 days Start Location: Marseille End Location: Marseille

BRIEF Itinerary

• Day 1 : Welcome in Provence

  Arrive in Marseilles, France. Transfer to the charming little town of Cassis.

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  Day 2 : The Calanques

  Hike along the Calanques, a succession of narrow canyons and white limestone cliffs diving into the Mediterranean, formed by rivers flowing into the sea, later submerged by the rising level of the Mediterranean at the end of the last ice age.

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  Day 3 : The Cap Canaille

  Hike across the small terraces called "restanques" to the top of Canaille, the highest maritime cliffs of France.

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  Day 4 : Villages of Provence

  Today, we'll hike through some of the most beautiful villages in Provence: the Castellet, "la Cadière d' Azur," and Evenos.

• Day 5 : Nation Bay

  Today's walk follows the sea and "la baie des nations" from les Lecques to Bandol. Afternoon transfer to the massif des "Maures" and the picturesque village of Bormes les Mimosas.

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  Day 6 : Port Cros Island

  Boat trip to Port Cros, the smallest of the three islands which make up the "îles d'Or." This National Park features a unique underwater nature trail for us to hike on, signs posted and all, just like France's other long distance footpaths!

• Day 7 : Cap Lardier

  Hike on the "sentier du littoral" (sometimes called the Coastguard Path), a nature conservation area with unparalleled beauty featuring a rocky coast and the azure Mediterranean on one side, and hills covered with pine and shrubs on the other, ending our day in the quaint village of Ramatuelle.

• Day 8 : Saint Tropez

  Walk along unpaved trails to the Saint Tropez peninsula, stopping along the way at one or more of the plentiful vineyards to sample the regional wines!

• Day 9 : Au Revoir Mes Amis!

  Transfer to Marseille and depart.

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  Hostellerie Bérard & Spa

  La Cadière d'Azur

  The HOSTELLERIE BERARD & SPA is tucked away in the magnificent Provençal village of La Cadière d'Azur, in the heart of the Bandol vineyards.

  The HOSTELLERIE BERARD & SPA country inn is set in a cluster of beautifully-restored old buildings, including an eleventh - century monastery with vaulted rooms for your meetings and seminars and a delightful country house.

• Hotel du Cigalou

  Nestling in the heart of the mediaeval village of Bormes-Les-Mimosas, the Hostellerie du Cigalou is enjoying a new lease of life after a quarter of a century. This charming hotel with its 20 authentically restored bedrooms combines a listed facade with an unusually bold and imaginative style. This family residence devoted to relaxation and good living is brimming with summertime hospitality.

• Hotel Les Jardins de Cassis

  Cassis, France

  In the middle of bougainvilleas, around a patio, surrounded with pine and greeness welcome you in a provençal "bastide" of 36 rooms.

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Laurent Langoisseur

  Laurent Langoisseur hails from Normandy, France, having grown up in Argentan (a small village that became famous in August 1944, “tournai sur dives”). At the age of 12, Laurent read La Grande Crevasse by Roger Frison-Roche, and became fascinated by the guiding and climbing descriptions of the Chamonix-Mont Blanc area. At 16, Laurent visited the area and was hooked. At 19, Laurent joined the French alpine troops, and after a year of service, moved to Chamonix. In 1991, he obtained his European Mountain Leader (certification), and in 1995 he was awarded the coveted patch of the Compagnie des Guides. An avid sports enthusiast and inexhaustible hiker, Laurent has hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc more close to 100 times. He is also an accomplished mountaineer, having summated Mont Blanc 3 times, as well as several other mountains over 13,000’. When he is not hiking and climbing, Laurent can be found running long distances for fun. Laurent recently completed a 48-mile race in 6 hours; and has also finished 48 miles in 9 hours with 10,000’ of ascent/descent. Laurent has been guiding for MTS since 1995, and is a Senior guide on our Tour du Mont Blanc, Mont Blanc Express, Mont Blanc to Matterhorn (Haute Route), GR5, Gran Paradiso, and French Riviera trips, as well as any other trip we can get him on! His knowledge of the culture, history, plants, birds, and the name of every single peak and glacier along the trail is a wonderful complement to his guiding skills. When he isn’t guiding for us, he teaches First Aid and Mountain Rescue to mountain and hiking guides; and during the winter, he’s a ski patrol monitor in the mountains above Chamonix.

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