At the gateway to the Préalpes d’Azur regional nature park, Gréolières-les-Neiges makes an excellent hiking base camp. Here are the marked routes worth knowing, from the most family-friendly to the most demanding.
The Grande Boucle des Pivoines — the star of spring
Starting from the resort car park (marker 206), this loop of around 7 km, 200 m of elevation gain and 2 h 15 of walking skirts the Cheiron biological reserve, mostly through shaded woodland. Its fame comes from the wild peonies that bloom from late April to mid-June — a rare sight in France.
Important: the common peony is a nationally protected species. Photograph it, don’t pick it — picking, cutting and uprooting are all forbidden.
The Cheiron summit from the resort
From the Collet car park, the GR4 climbs to the Cheiron summit (1,778 m): 8.4 km there and back, roughly 500 m of elevation gain, 4 hours. Pine woods, lavender-dotted grasslands, and at the top a panorama stretching from the coastline to the Mercantour. Look up: short-toed snake eagles and griffon vultures frequent the area.
For seasoned hikers
- Cheiron ridge loop: around 15 km and 870 m of elevation gain, recommended from May to November.
- “Crête du Cheiron” trek (Randoxygène, Alpes-Maritimes Department): 24.5 km over 2 days from the village of Gréolières, with a bivouac at the Jas du Suy. Be warned: there is no water source along the route.
- The GR4 passes through Gréolières and lets you build other variations, such as the Loup circuit towards Cipières.
Practical advice
Set off with plenty of water, a hat and proper walking shoes: the ridges are exposed. Livestock guardian dogs (patous) may be present — give the flocks a calm, wide berth. And if the climb on foot feels long, the ridge can also be reached by rental electric mountain bike, via the resort’s marked trails.