Mont Lion, 1049 m

Circumnavigation of the "Lion"s Mountain"The Var covers over 100 kilometers through the French Maritime Alps before flowing west of Nice through a wide valley into the Mediterranean. Medieval villages, the "villages perchés", stand on small ledges on the steep slopes of this valley. One of these is Gilette, which is located on a sunny slope above the Estéron, not far from where it flows into the Var.From the village, you have an unobstructed view over the rocky southern side of Mont Lion. There is a hiking route around the "Lion Mountain" with a detour to the summit. The constantly changing perspectives on this loop provide views over the two valleys, the mountain landscape of the Préalpes d"Azur and the often snow-covered peaks of the Mercantour. Especially during the long traverse of the southern flank, however, you must not lose sight of the narrow path; in places there is only a faint trail through the steep slope.