Mount Bastide hike

Mount Bastide hike is easy. The mont is a small limestone mountain, culminating at 570m. It lies just a stone’s throw from Eze village, from which it offers splendid views, and overlooks Eze Bord-de-mer.

Mount Bastide hike

The trail is 290m from the village entrance at Place Charles de Gaulle. The start is just after the Moyenne Corniche viaduct, on the M6007 road, before the tunnel.
A wooden sign announces the start of the David trail.
The return journey takes the same route.
The walker crosses a shady undergrowth to the east of Mont Bastide for most of the way, then the path opens out to the south, onto a dry, sunny garrigue environment.
Some passages are through rocks and require the use of hands, but are not particularly difficult. We point this out because you’ll need to watch out for young children and help them, if necessary.

The panoramas

The walk offers breathtaking views of the village of Eze and the sea. In the distance, you can see the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, etc.

The limestone environment and water

Limestone rocks have the particularity of not retaining rainwater, which quickly seeps into the ground through numerous cracks. The water resurfaces at the bottom of the cliff, feeding rivers and fountains.
A special feature, however:
From Mont Bastide, you can overlook the bay of Eze Bord-de-mer. And, if the weather’s right, i.e. after a few rainy days, you can easily make out freshwater resurgences from the sea bed just in front of the beach. Freshwater and seawater don’t mix easily, so these springs are like escaping “fumes”, or rather, underwater torrents. The phenomenon is natural, but still astonishing.

Mediterranean flora

On the southern slope, the one exposed to the sun, among the limestone rocks, a typically Mediterranean flora thrives:

• thym,
• rosemary,
• lavender,
• cistus,
• pistachio,
• etc.

Oppidum of Castellar

At the summit and also a little further on, the ruins of a very ancient Celto-Ligurian oppidum can be made out. An oppidum is a fortified village. The defensive value of its location at such a height is obvious.
It dates back to the Iron Age, between the 3rd century B.C. and 50 B.C. But virtually nothing remains of this protohistoric oppidum. Today’s ruins date back to Roman times, around the year zero of our era.
It consisted of terraced houses, protected by a triple enclosure.

Practical information about Mount Bastide hike

• • The David trailhead is on the M6007 road, just after the Moyenne corniche viaduct and before the tunnel, 290m from the entrance to the old village.
  • Walking shoes recommended.
  • Avoid the trail in rainy weather, as the ground can be slippery.
  • Duration of ascent: between 40 and 50mn.