From the St-Charles tram stop to Garibaldi via Mt Vinaigrier and Mt Boron

Start from the Saint-Charles metro stop on tram line 1.

(S) Head east along Rue Louis Genari. Pass a large block of social housing built in the 1990s. Turn right onto Boulevard Louis Braille and then immediately left into Rue Pie-François Toesca.

(1) From the junction of Boulevard Louis Braille and Rue Pie-François Toesca, head north-east and, via some steps, reach Chemin du Mont Gros. Continue up Chemin du Mont Gros to the Saint-Roch Chapel, to the left of the entrance to Saint-Roch Cemetery. A visit to Saint-Roch Cemetery is well worth it and offers lovely views of Nice.

(2) Head south-east along Chemin du Mont Gros and take the steps on the left to climb up Rue des Castors de la Grande Corniche; follow Chemin du Mont Gros to reach the Saint-Charles Chapel. Cross the Grande Corniche with care and take Avenue du Professeur Henri Chrétien opposite. At a hairpin bend, turn right onto Chemin Charles Roux, which leads to the entrance of the Vinaigrier Nature Reserve.

(3) From the entrance to the Vinaigrier park, head south-east to reach the Chemin du Canal du Mont Gros. Head east and, via several hairpin bends, reach the track and paths leading south to the summit of Mont Vinaigrier.

(4) Continue south-south-west along faintly marked paths; follow the Visorando route here using GPS. Descend to the Col de Villefranche water treatment plant, also known as the Usine Jean Favre. Go round the drinking water production plant on the right and, via Chemin Alexandra, reach Chemin du Vinaigrier; turn right onto it. Join Avenue José Bernard on the left and arrive at the Col de Villefranche.

(5) Take the road that climbs towards the Church of Notre-Dame de France, which is open to visitors, and continue climbing southwards along the Sentier du Mont Alban to reach the Fort du Mont Alban; go round it to the left whilst admiring the view over the Rade de Villefranche.

(6) Head south via the Chemin du Fort du Mont Alban. Take the Mont Boron Forest Road and the Sentier des Fauvettes to reach the Mont Boron Forest Road. Arrive at the Bellevue route.

(7) Walk around Fort du Mont Boron, then turn left and head north, retracing your steps along the Mont Boron Forest Road; after about a hundred metres, turn left down into a small wood via the Chemin des Crêtes. Walk down between the houses, cross Avenue Germaine twice and arrive at the Church of Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours. Cross Boulevard du Mont-Boron and, still following the Chemin des Crêtes, join Boulevard Carnot. Cross it to continue the descent towards the Port of Nice via the Chemin Tordu du Mont Boron. Turn left onto Montée Saint-Aignan and then right onto Boulevard Franck Pilate.

(8) Follow Boulevard Franck Pilate to Montée du Commandant Octobon, turn left onto it and head down to Quai des Docks. Follow Quai des Docks to the Port Lympia tram stop.

(9) Go up the steps to Place de l’Île de Beauté. To the right of the Church of Notre-Dame du Port, take Rue Rusca then Rue Bavastro. Cross Rue Lascaris and turn left into Rue Bonaparte until you reach Place du Pin. Turn right into Rue Emmanuel Philibert then left into Rue Jean-Pierre Papon to reach the Garibaldi stop (E) on tram line 1.

You can get water, bread and pastries at the excellent bakery "Le Rubens" near the Col de Villefranche, on the Corniche André de Joly.
Food and drink available at the Brasserie du Col at the Col de Villefranche.
Visit the Lazaret Prehistoric Cave near Square Théodore de Banville, heading down via Montée Gurnée and the Nelson Mandela Garden.

Information on the architecture of the 1990s social housing on Rue Louis Genari:
Saint-Roch, Building 2
The Forum