Nice-Grasse: Stage 4

From Gréolières it is initially very steep downhill - today we cross the course of the Loup. The hiking trail leads over a remarkable aqueduct and from there quite steeply uphill to Cipières, a small town with a church, castle and triangular village square. Here we meet again on the GR51, which we had left on stage 2. We follow the GR51 towards Gourdon and are steadily gaining altitude. On a plateau it is a little more leisurely, ideal for gathering strength before the final climb.

Note: At kilometer 9 we succumbed to temptation and took a detour from the GR51 to get closer to the gorge. That worked, but is not recommended! The path marked on the Openstreetmaps map does not exist in this form or disappears as soon as you have reached the rocky plateau above the gorge. The rocks here are very sharp, so there is an acute risk of stumbling and injury. We therefore recommend staying on the GR51.

Anyone who adheres to the GR51 traverses another plateau until the path plunges abruptly: The innumerable serpentines descend from the valley to a height of 1020 meters. The first stop on the descent is Gourdon, a popular place for day trippers in a picturesque location (750m) with numerous restaurants and souvenir shops. From there it goes down another 300 meters until the GR51 meets a water canal, from where it continues quite flat. A little above Le Bar-sur-Loup we leave the GR51 and descend to spend the night in Le Bar-sur-Loup (see Overnight in Le Bar-sur-Loup).