Tête de Chien
View over the Gulf of Porto from the promontory known as the Château Fort, a good picnic spot, but a gullied path with no steps coming back.
Advice from the Vaïta team
Perhaps my favourite hike
This is perhaps one of my favourite hikes. Perhaps because it is very simple, but above all because it is so beautiful. You set off from Piana's football stadium and, in forty-five minutes, you tip over above the calanques: a magnificent landscape opens up, between the sea, the calanques and the path itself.
Before the road existed, this paved path was the only link between Piana and Ota — the muleteers used it on muleback until Napoleon III had the road built, around 1850. Today we walk on their work: a paved path, dry-stone walls, steps carved into the rock.
My tip before you set off
The walk ends with a long descent, plenty of steps, and then all that's left is to walk back up the road to the car. And it's precisely on the road, on the way back, that you best see all the pareidolia: these rocks sculpted by erosion that take on the shapes of faces and animals, including the famous heart of Piana (the "lovers' rock").
One extra tip: do it late in the day. It's when the light of the setting sun strikes the rocks that the red of the calanques truly reveals itself.
On the ground
The start: Piana stadium, at the Mezzanu bridge
The start is at the Piana municipal stadium car park, on the D81, at the level of the Mezzanu bridge. Coming from Porto, it's the track on the left just before the bridge; coming from Piana, it's on the right. The car park is large and free, but the spaces fill up quickly in high season: it's best to arrive early.
You cross the football pitch, go over the wooden footbridge above the Dardo stream, then take the left, following the "old Piana-to-Ota path".
The route
A balcony over the gulf, then the big descent
The path first climbs gently, partly under the pines, with no difficulty. It comes out onto the old mule trail that overlooks the road like a balcony: from there, sweeping views over the Gulf of Porto for the whole way. The path winds between the red rocks, sometimes supported by a dry-stone wall, sometimes turned into a staircase.
Then comes the big descent: a steep stepped corridor that brings you back down to the calanques road, by the Virgin's oratory (Santa-Maria). You then walk quietly back up the D81 to the car — this is the moment for the pareidolia. Watch out for cars all the same, the road is narrow and busy in summer.
It's a loop I recommend to everyone: short, accessible, but with an unbeatable effort-to-scenery ratio.
Want more? The Tête de Chien
If you haven't reached your step count for the day, another hike is right next door: the Tête de Chien ("dog's head"), which leads to the promontory known as the Château Fort. The start is in the dog's-head bend on the D81, about 800 m before the Roches Bleues chalet. Allow 1h30 round trip (yellow markers) to reach this rocky platform and its sweeping view over the Gulf of Porto and the calanques.
Before you go
Practical information
Distance
≈ 3.1 km — as a loop.
Duration
~1h30 at a leisurely pace.
Elevation gain
≈ +300 m — max altitude ≈ 560 m.
Difficulty
Easy — but a steep descent and a return on a busy road: take care.
The right moment
Late in the day — the red of the calanques explodes at sunset.
Your base for the Calanques de Piana
Hôtel Le Vaïta is on the marina at Porto, a quarter of an hour from the start of the Mule Trail. Our reception team can advise on the best moment (aim for sunset!) and the other hikes around the gulf. Book direct for our best guaranteed rate.