Collobrières: Chestnut Culture, Trails and Heritage

Collobrières offers several starting points for planning a trip: chestnut culture, historic buildings and scenic trails. Consider whether you are more interested in a longer loop hike, exploring the area’s heritage or learning about the processing of sweet chestnuts. The options differ considerably: they include a circular hike with a stated duration of six hours, a trail through the village’s lanes, a monastery partially open to visitors and events celebrating the chestnut harvest.

Hiking Trails and Views

The Boucle de Notre Dame des Anges is a 20.60-kilometre circular route with 640 metres of elevation gain. Its stated duration is 360 minutes, or six hours. The starting point is the Stade car park at the eastern entrance to Collobrières; from there, the route follows the GR90 towards Notre Dame des Anges. It leads to the Chapelle Notre Dame des Anges and offers views of the Presqu'île de Giens, the Îles d'Or and the rade de Toulon. Check the latest route information before setting off. Access via the GR90 is subject to seasonal restrictions due to the risk of forest fires.

The Sentier de découverte also starts at the Stade car park and leads through typical lanes in Collobrières to the ruins of the church of Saint-Pons. The destinations along this trail also include a ruined mill with views of the Vallon de la Malière and the Gouffre du Desteou. The tours therefore differ mainly in their stated destinations and time commitment: the Boucle is described as a long circular hike with a specific duration, while the Sentier passes through the lanes and leads to architectural and natural features.

The Menhirs du Plateau Lambert can also be reached on foot from the village via the GR90; bear in mind the seasonal restrictions due to the risk of forest fires. The two monolithic blocks were carved from a local gneiss deposit. They are 3.15 and 2.82 metres high, respectively, and date from the period spanning the end of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. Listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments, they are considered the two largest known megaliths of this kind in Provence.

Monastery, Church and Local History

The Chartreuse de la Verne was founded in 1170 on the ruins of an earlier priory. Part of the monastery is open to visitors. There you can visit the gatehouse, bakery, a monk’s cell and the 12th-century Romanesque church. To get there, take the narrow, winding Route de la Verne to the free car park at the end of the road. From there, it is about 700 metres along a level dirt path to the site.

The church of Saint-Pons was built in the 15th century on the site of a fortified chapel dating from the 12th century. Today, the church is in ruins. An orientation panel on the site features a panorama of Collobrières and the surrounding area; the ruins are listed in the supplementary inventory of France’s historic monuments. Together with the menhirs and the Chartreuse, these sites offer different historical perspectives: an early medieval monastic foundation, a church with an older predecessor and megaliths whose origins date back to prehistoric times.

Chestnuts and Traditional Crafts

Sweet chestnuts are the focus of the Musée de la fabrique du marron glacé. The museum explores the culture and production of chestnut products and marrons glacés. Its exhibits include historic tools and machinery used to turn chestnuts into confectionery over several decades. The Fêtes de la Châtaigne celebrate the harvest: held every year in autumn on three festive Sundays, they showcase local producers, craftspeople, traditional skills and tastings of regional specialities.

The Atelier-boutique Ferme du Lambert offers another glimpse into traditional crafts. In Collobrières, it has a creative space for workshops in felting, knitting, spinning and weaving. Groups of at least ten can also book the Rando'laine. It is offered twice a year, once in autumn and once in spring. Confirm the booking conditions in advance if you are planning to attend as a group.

Discover more destinations: Trigance, Bagnols-En-Forêt, Tavernes, Taradeau, La Croix-Valmer, Montferrat, Saint-Zacharie, La Bouillabaisse.

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