Peille between Mountain Scenery and Village History

Peille lies at an altitude of 630 m on the northern slope of Mont Baudon, between Mont Agel and Mont Rastel. The village features a medieval layout, hiking trails at the foot of the Alps and historic buildings. If you choose Peille as a destination, you can distinguish between the hiking options by their characteristics: one circuit goes around the village; for the Cîme du Farguet, the distance, elevation gain and average duration are specified.

Hiking around Peille

The “Circuit des cartes postales” trail goes around the village of Peille. Lava slabs from the volcanoes of Auvergne reproduce old postcards at the places shown in the photographs. The Cîme du Farguet has different details to help you plan: the hiking route is listed as 9 km long, with an elevation gain of 550 m and an average duration of 2 hours 30 minutes. While the Circuit is defined by its route around the village and its postcard scenes, the Cîme du Farguet can be assessed by distance, elevation gain and time required.

Peille’s hiking trails lie at the foot of the Alps and on the GR5, and are accessible year-round. You can hike alone, with your family or with a guide. Guided hikes are available through the Maison d’Activités Pleine Nature de Peille by reservation. When planning, you can therefore take into account both the stated figures for the Cîme du Farguet and the type of guidance you want.

Village layout and waterways

Peille is a medieval village dating from the 11th century. Narrow lanes and vaulted passageways inaccessible to vehicles are part of its character. These features give the village a different appearance from a collection of roads designed for vehicle traffic: the narrow lanes and vaulted passages shape its historic character.

Along the “Les chemins de l’eau” trail, you can discover old irrigation channels and historic water distribution systems used for private and agricultural crops. The trail thus draws attention to water as part of past irrigation and land management. Together with the circuit around the village, it offers another way to explore Peille’s history: one through the village layout, the other through the use of water.

Chapels and historic buildings

The Chapelle Saint-Martin dates from 1950 to 1952; its architect was Georges Buzzi. The building is not a listed historic monument and has held the “patrimoine XXe” label from the Commission régionale du patrimoine et des sites (CRPS) since 15 March 2007. The chapel is visible from the mountain road. Beside the altar, two wide windows open onto a typically Provençal landscape dotted with olive trees. The construction dates and the view through the windows describe different aspects of the building: its origins in the mid-20th century and its outlook onto the landscape.

The Chapelle Saint-Pancrace is a half-hour from the village of Peille, on the historic Peille–Monaco route. The ruins of “Château et remparts” are also among the visible historic buildings: they can be seen from the road and are located on a footpath. These places differ in their location and connection to the village; the ruins are visible within the village area, while the Chapelle Saint-Pancrace is a half-hour away on the historic route.

Getting to Peille

From Nice, you can reach Peille via the A8, exit 57 “La Turbie,” and then take the D53 towards “PEILLE.” The road route is therefore described by a specific motorway exit and the Département road that follows.

Peille is also accessible via the “NICE-TENDE via Breil-Sur-Roya” TER network. La Grave de Peille station is 7 km below Peille Village. If you’re planning to travel by train, check the current schedules and take the station’s location into account when planning your journey.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Pierrefeu, Massoins, La Bollène-Vésubie, Villeneuve-Loubet, Coaraze, Cimiez, Les Ferres and Peillon.

Go to the regional travel overview: Alpes-Maritimes.