You park at the stade du Défens on the edge of Montauroux and set off with no particular expectations. Within ten minutes, the dirt track disappears under a canopy of oaks, the light drops, and the air smells of damp stone. The Côte d'Azur feels very far away.
The loop runs about 6 km with 250 m of elevation gain, marked in yellow. A wide track leads first to a water cistern, where a signpost points right to the Circuit du Pont des Tuves. The path then drops steeply through a forest of oaks, some of them three to four centuries old: gnarled trunks, dense shade, the sound of the Siagne growing louder below.
At the bottom, the river appears, unmistakably turquoise. The Pont des Tuves (known as the Pont des Gabres on the far bank) was built in 1802 on Roman foundations and crosses the Siagne in a single clean stone arch. Just beyond it, a small waterfall spills down a moss-covered tuff rock face. People wade in, sit on the rocks, linger. The water is cold even in August. Some visitors jump off the bridge; worth knowing, and worth thinking twice.
The return leg winds through the sanctuary of ancient oaks and past the stone ruins of mills and terraced fields, the quiet remains of a farming life that once filled these gorges. The site sits within a Natura 2000 protected zone. In summer, check for possible forest closure due to fire risk before heading out, and aim for an early start.
