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A hike in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
This walk rises up to the highest littoral village in Europe. This site presents an exceptional point of view. The ruins of the old castle and the medieval garden deserve a visit. As you will walk uphill with 550 metres difference in height along a marked out and well-maintained track, you will notice that vegetation presents an altitude zonation, even if it is wholly included in the Mediterranean level.
The circuit is marked out, follow "Chemin de la Colline".
1- From the public car park (before the car park of the building), go up towards the city hall. Turn to the left and continue behind the building. A pannel on the right indicates "Chemin de la Colline" (rising stairs). After a covered passage, you reach a road. Cross it and continue on the track which goes up.
2- Go straight ahead on the track covered with concrete at the beginning and rocky farther.
3- Cross the road D22 towards the left and take the path on your right (hairpin bend short cut).
4- Turn to the left on the road. After a crossing bay on the left, the Chemin de la Colline continue in a right bend.
5- Continue on the road and follow the panels.
6- Once at the crossing, you will see the chapel Saint-Sebastien. Take the paved road which rises to the village.
7- Go up in avenue of Verdun. After a hairpin bend, you enter the village by the place of the church. Continue straight ahead. Pass under a porch and turn to the left in the street "rue des Sarrasins". Walk past the houses of the village. The entry of the fort is on your left. From there, you can go to visit the ruined old castle. Concerning the remaining route, walk along the bunker up to the observation platform on your right (telescope). Follow the panel pointing out the restaurant Righi. At the end of the Righi lane, go on the right track.
8- At the first crossing of tracks, go to the right, in the direction of Menton. At the following fork, go to the left.
9- Turn to the right on the cemented road.
10- Turn to the right on the road. About 500 m farther, you get back to the first section in a right bend.
11- Same section as the first one, the other way around.
Information
General points
- Geographic situation. District : Sainte-Agnès
(department Alpes-Maritimes, canton Menton)
Road map with
 - Starting point : City hall of Sainte-Agnès (outside the village), on the road Saint-Jean (D22a), between the junction with the road D22 and the section under the highway A8.
- The length of the stroll is estimated at 6,1 Km and the walk duration is about 3 h .
- The stroll is marked out all along
- Stroll form : dual (one part as a loop, the other one linear)
- Stroll relief : mountainous (alt. mini = 150 m ; alt. maxi = 700 m)
- Maintenance : frequent (brushwood clearing at least annual)
- Exposure : open (a sun protection might be foreseen)
Noteworthy places
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Sainte-Agnès. Saint-Agnès is the highest village in Europe with regard to sea proximity: the keep of the castle is at 766 m hight whereas its distance from the sea is less than 3.5 Km. Altitude on the municipal territory varies from 80 m to more than 1200 m. On the platform close to the fort, a telescope can be used. On a very clear day, Corsica can be distinguished.
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Menton. The territory around Menton has an exceptional climate, because of its sheltered position, which entails temperature to be noticeably higher, with especially the rising of winter minima. Lemon trees in open ground gives evidence of this sweet climate, as this tree does not tolerate a prolonged frost. As you will be rising, you will notice the replacement of a shrub by another one: the mastic tree that grows up to the middle-hillside is replaced by the terebinth. These two species belong to the same genus (Pistacia) and grow on similar grounds, each occupying a different level: the mastic tree, a thermophilous species, is replaced uphill by terebinth . The lemon tree, which requires a more warmer climate than the mastic tree, grows only on lowest areas.
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Fort de Sainte-Agnès. The fortress of Sainte-Agnès was built between 1932 and 1938, as one of the fortifications constituting the Alpine section of Maginot Line, which had been built to protect France against Fascist Italy. This mission was well performed, since all attacks Italians underwent after their war declaration (June 10th, 1940) were contained. The Alpine Line was differently conceived from northeastern Maginot Line, because a mountain area involves another type of defence: continuous fortifications are necessary in a flat region as northern France, whereas in mountain it is enough to control passes with bunkers. Only bunkers are visible from the fort of Saint-Agnès, the main part being underground.
Visits on weekend, and every day in summer (phone: 04 93 35 84 58).
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Château de Sainte-Agnès. Situated on an impregnable rocky mound, this castle goes back to the XIIth century. Excavations are in progress since 1993. A discovery route and a medieval garden are proposed. A wooden platform has been installed in the donjon to be used as an observation post.
Maps
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IGN 3742 OT, Carto Eploreur 06 Sud.
Bibliography
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Rando Pays Côtier. (Coll. Guides RandOxygène. Conseil Général des Alpes-Maritimes).
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