Hiking skywards with Provençal Adventures in France

Christine Fieldhouse enjoys a Hiking and Cultural Retreat in Provence, where she discovers paths that never end, mouth-watering cuisine and the perfect host

I’m standing at Nice Airport looking every inch the hiker, mainly because our luggage allowance was too stingy for bulky gear. Walking boots, check. Fleece, check. Waterproof, check. Inside, it’s a different story. My limiting beliefs are already on their own self-sabotaging expedition. Although I’m a hardy hiker, I’m picturing myself last on every walk, broken with exhaustion. It’s so tempting to hop back on the plane.

But as our host Remi Dubois arrives, I know immediately that my husband Ian and I are in safe hands. Remi and I have already spoken on Zoom, but in real life Remi is even more charming and affable. He’s also the perfect host, with an attention to detail rarely seen, and highly empathetic. A Londoner with deep French roots, he jokes about being named after Remi the rat in the film, Ratatouille. It’s then I know I’ve already found my tribe.

My husband Ian comments our airport rendez-vous is like the start of a murder mystery party and soon the various characters - a dashing, young sommelier, a laid-back college lecturer, a confident linguist, a mischievous writer and a sweet-toothed influencer, aged from early 20s to mid-60s  – are boarding Remi’s nine-seater for the 60-minute transfer from the Côte d'Azur along windy roads up to the mountains.

Our base for our Hiking and Cultural Retreat is a villa near Seillans. Stylishly renovated by Remi and his mum, Ilona, an interior designer, it’s a maze of sweet, stone-walled, low-ceilinged rooms, including a beamed kitchen/diner, which is the hub, and a comfy sitting room, where we sit politely and exchange pleasantries like new recruits at a finishing school on day one, but sprawl and regale each other with gossip the rest of the week.

Our spacious double room up some steps at the back of the villa is flooded with light, thanks to two skylights. There’s vase of bright yellow local flowers on our chest of drawers, and some lavender and a note from Remi, welcoming us, on our bed. We have our own open-plan bathroom and one of life’s must-haves – a kettle!

Our days fall into a pattern. Breakfast - a casual buffet between 7am and 8.30am (depending on our day’s activity) – is a table laden with croissants, granola, sourdough bread and jams. Some of us eat on the balcony, others potter around the kitchen and living room.

Then we gather for our walks. On our first day, it’s a getting-to-know-you stroll along the path from the villa, there and back, spotting processionary caterpillars along the way. Nothing too taxing. My shoulders inch downwards, my breathing calms.

“After six days, I’m exhilarated from walking, energised by quality food, recharged from the Provençal way of life and rested, thanks to Remi’s unwavering care and hard work”

Day two ramps it up. We drive to the start, then hike skywards on never-ending paths, until we get to fragrant lavender meadows and finally Lachens Mountain summit. At 1715 m, it’s the highest point of the Var department, with a view over to Corsica.

There, we abandon poles, throw off rucksacks, strip off more layers, and tuck into our picnic lunch – baguettes almost as big as me are accompanied by yoghurts, fruit, energy bars, biscuits and juices. Of course, what goes up must come down and we pick the descent carefully.

Our next hike is different again. In the Gorges du Blavet, the river rushes by alongside us, as we tippetty tap our poles along stony paths through fairytale woodland, with dingly dells and stepping stones. Expecting trolls, we hear shrieks of joy. But instead of a wizened character under a bridge, we glimpse the more youthful members of our group skinny-dipping.

Later, we reach the red volcanic rocks of the Esterel massif and the Muéron cave, with its impressive archway entrance. Our lunchtime picnic is tuna pasta in the forest, and then we head to the beach at Fréjus, where we have a couple of free hours for a coffee, an ice cream and a walk along the sandy beach.

And our final hike takes us to Séranon for part of the Route Napoléon, the path Napoléon Bonaparte took on his return from Elba in 1815. We pass honey sellers, a slithering snake and the ornate Chapelle Saint-Brigitte before reaching our summit, where we have a 360-degree view of snow-capped Alps, and further afield – Italy.

As always, when you’ve done something challenging and energetic, the celebrations are fun. Each evening, after showers, we gather on the patio for aperitifs, where delicious treats like mackerel rillettes with pickled cucumber and olive tapenade are served, all with the perfect drink.

And then comes dinner. And oh, the food. It’s clear from the off that Remi and his chefs love French food and that every dish, from a bowl of salted almonds to the most exquisite green lentils with lamb, is prepared and served with love. We’re encouraged to eat and relish our food, and we don’t disappoint.

Our first night dinner – blanquette de veau - has stayed in my heart and turned into something akin to a craving. Other evenings bring us Provence’s specialities – delicious ratatouille one night, bouillabaisse the next. Desserts are to die for – chocolate mousse, strawberry tart and lemon tart are welcomed like old friends back from a world cruise.

But it isn’t all hiking and feasting. We spend one day visiting Fayence, a hilltop village where market stalls sell bags, quality linens, jewellery, crafts, fragrant herbs and sun-ripened fruit and vegetables, all beautifully arranged. We have a coffee at the Bar des Campagnes, watching the world go by. Another day we pop back to Fayence for an evening meal at the quirky Le France restaurant.

Medieval Mons is all cobbled streets and tucked-away alleys, perfect for an al fresco lunch at L’Auberge Provençale. And we saunter round Seillans, once popular with surrealist artist Max Ernst, now a peaceful hub of art galleries and craft shops.

We also tour Val d’Iris, a former iris plantation, now a biodynamic vineyard, and we see how the famous rosé wines of Provence, along with equally eminent whites and reds, are made. After strolling the vineyards with owner Anne Silberzahn and her collie Nash, we enjoy - let’s just say – a very thorough wine-tasting session. Not a dribble goes untested.

After six days, I’m exhilarated from walking, energised by quality food, recharged from the Provençal way of life and rested, thanks to Remi’s unwavering care and hard work. I’m so glad I didn’t hop back on the plane!