Discovering the Colle Noire massif
Massif de la Colle Noire
83220 Le Pradet
France
Located in Le Pradet, on the first foothills of the Maures massif, the Colle Noire is a protected green setting between the coastal towns of Hyero and Toulon. The proposed route culminates at an altitude of nearly 300 meters, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Toulon harbor, the Saint-Mandrier peninsula and Cap Sicié to the west, as well as the double tombolo, the Giens peninsula and the islands of Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Levant to the east.
This dominant position will enable your guide to present Toulon, a port of extraordinary defense, and its harbor; its maritime and military history; the formation of the peninsula and the specificity of each of the three islands, known as the "golden islands".
In the past, the site's dense plant cover earned it the Provençal name of "Cola negré", meaning black hill.
Since the fire of 2005, however, the massif is essentially made up of scrubland dotted with surviving cork oaks. The area's agricultural past will be explored, with an evocation of the region's horticultural tradition. Beneath this trail lies the Cap Garonne copper mine, a vestige of an industrial past that testifies to the site's specific mineralogical wealth.
You'll then make your way to the Domaine de la Navicelle through the forest, where you'll discover a biodynamically cultivated vineyard and taste some of the estate's wines.
It's a highly interactive stroll, where visitors are invited to take part in their own discovery.
All year round, on request
Duration: 4h (circuit adaptable for shorter durations)
Level of difficulty: Medium, depending on audience
Documentation and binoculars available
Languages: French, English, Spanish
Prices
35€ per person, including the guide and the tasting.