Our most popular self-guided walking tour this year passes through the village of Sainte Agnès, seen below.
Picturesque and authentic, we were looking to suggest an extra night's stay in the village, and so I scouted a loop walk starting and ending in Sainte Agnès.
Old granite and cobbled streets pass under archways, while a tight labyrinth of streets make their way up to the top of the village, from where you stand 800m above the sea, but only 3km as the crow flies: it's the highest coastline village (oxymoron?) in France. Sainte Agnès is also listed among the most beautiful villages in the country.
Wild lavender in bloom as I made my way along the trails.
bell-flower:
And somewhat unusual for the region, we have:
Tibetan prayer flags:
And a gorilla:
The town of Menton seen from the trails:
After about 2 hours of walking I reached the village of Gorbio, here framed by passion flower.
ssshhh: the old limestone village of Gorbio is far off the tourist radar, its two restaurants separated by a 300 year-old elm tree, and the rest of its streets soothingly shop-free and timeless.
