Randonnée à la découverte de Niolon : son fort et sa calanque

The train follows an itinerary that allows us to get into the swing of things: it takes in several viaducts overlooking the sea. After l'Estaque, Niolon is the first seaside settlement to be served by a train station - our destination. Like neighboring La Vesse, Niolon is part of the Le Rove commune. On this hike, you'll have the chance to take in the sights of the old military buildings, including the Niolon fort. All along the way, hikers can take advantage of numerous viewpoints to contemplate the landscape and the Mediterranean. Leaving the Niolon station, turn left and walk straight ahead. Don't follow the small road leading down to the village. Take the "chemin des poseurs" which runs alongside the railroad line and leads to the start of the hiking trail itself. Continue straight ahead until the path drops off to the right. Cross a stone bridge and the path climbs back up towards the fort, leading to a junction of two paths. From here, take the left-hand path, heading east, which leads to a ruined military battery. Then return to the junction and continue along the route that climbs between rocky limestone bars and the Jonquier valley. At the first large crossroads, turn right and 500 m further on, go right down into the valley. After 350 metres, there's another junction where you need to go straight on. After a further 450 metres, at a hairpin bend to the right, you'll find the start of a small path to follow. After a few minutes, you may see the ruins of an old sheepfold on your right. Shortly afterwards, there's a crossroads where you need to turn left to join the D48 road. Once you've reached the road, turn left up the hill to the intersection, where you'll see a road sign for La Vesse. Walk along the edge of the road, past a field of olive trees, along the winding descent to the valley. When you reach the first houses, stay on the main road. In the distance, you can see the railway viaduct. This is the right direction. Pass under the viaduct to reach the end of the allée des Girelles, having skirted the port of La Vesse. To reach the Calanque de Niolon, take the Chemin de la Douane, which leads to the Chemin du Port, in front of the "Auberge du mérou" restaurant. The Chemin du Port leads back up to the train station. But before going back under the viaduct, make a 200-metre detour (there and back) and turn left onto the chemin de la batterie to see the lower part of the Niolon fort from the outside.