Customer Reviews

26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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This book is more for the one hour stroller than for a more serious hiker. Glossy prints, heavy paper, beautiful photos all contribute to a nice book that is too heavy for serious hiking. This is more of a tourist guide than a hikers book

26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western CÃ'te d'Azur is an illustrated guide that invites you to slow down, take a breath of fresh air and soak in the Western French Riviera's natural beauty. Author Chatzigianis is a long-time hiker who has spent many years scouting southern France for footpaths with stunning views, walks that lead to boat-accessible only inlets, and prehistoric sites rarely visited or seen.

This guide has stunning maps and photographs of the nature hikes. There is an introduction with points of interest for each hike. Hiking time, distance, difficulty level and elevation profile are included with each hike description as well as practical advice on when to go and what to take with you.

The descriptions of the hikes are vivid enough to make you want to go there, to see it for yourself.

You climb a short, steep hill behind the village of La Garde-Freinet. You cross a moat that is carved deep into the rock. Step back 800 years in time; you have entered the ruins of the ancient fortified stone settlement of Fort Freinet.

Whether you enjoy an evening walk through a chestnut grove to watch a monastery set aglow by the setting sun or a more vigorous hike up the red mountains to view the amazing view of the Mediterranean Sea, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this beautiful guide of the Western Cote d'Azur.

The hikes range from an hour to half a day. I never knew some of these places even existed until I read this lovely guide. My interest has been peaked and I found myself daydreaming as I became absorbed in the photographs. My family may find themselves on a vacation soonâ"that only I have been dreaming of!

Armchair Interview says: Excellent book for hikers and dreamers

An alternative tourist attraction could be found and would be well appreciated by nature lovers around the world - "26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur" is a compilation of guides for twenty six half day hikes around France's beautiful coastline along the Mediterranean Sea for any experience level. Packed with color photos and specifics of each trail such as its time, distance, difficulty and what you should bring in preparation, it is the flat out most comprehensive guide you can find on the subject, even covering the history of the area alongside information on the plantlife. "26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur" is highly recommended for armchair travelers and hiking enthusiasts destined to travel to southern France.

As a connoisseur of hiking books and having spent a summer during college (many moons ago) exploring this region of France, I was drawn to this book about hiking the western Côte d' Azur. The book is lightweight, perfect for carrying or slipping into a backpack. The table summarizing hikes by difficulty, distance and terrain will prove particularly helpful. Other positive aspects in the book include the color photographs, the useful contact information and the interesting tidbits regarding history of the area, plants and the like. My only regret is that our vacation plans this year do not include the Côte d' Azur, so will have to postpone putting this book to use first-hand. Maybe next year . . .

My misperceptions of France have been corrected. Before reading "26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur" I thought of this region as an overpopulated playground of the rich and famous. I have now added hiking on the Cote d'Azur to my "must do" list.

Florence Chatzigianis has created a fabulous guidebook that lures you to the Mediterranean coast with color photos, color maps, and descriptions that paint a vivid picture in your mind's eye. In addition to listing route descriptions, distance, difficulty, and time required for each hike, she lists elevation change and even provides an elevation profile so you can see at a glance the changes in elevation you'll encounter.

Sidebars unravel the mysteries of cork harvesting, Roman mining operations, production of musical reeds, and other gems that provide a historical foundation for the walks. The walks themselves span from seaside strolls to mountain hikes. They provide you with views of the Mediterranean Sea, remains of Roman aqueducts, millstones left scattered across the countryside, sand beaches for clothing optional swims, and even a golden grass-filled lagoon. The walks are varied in terrain, scenery and cultural experiences. Florence proves you can escape from the crowded enclaves of the rich and famous and find solitude and an abundance of nature on the Cote d'Azur.

I can't wait to book a trip to France and use this book as my guide for day hiking across the beautiful Cote d'Azur.

Sue Freeman, avid hiker and author of 14 recreation guidebooks through Footprint Press, Inc.

This book really made the trails of the Cote d'Azur come to life. On nearly every page, there is at least one breath-taking image which captivates the mind and soul and brings you there. Likewise, the write-up of each hike is written in the second-person and makes the reader feel as if he or she was currently hiking the trail. This book covers lots of useful information including the distance of each hike, the average time to complete the trail, the elevation (or elevations!), and the difficulty. Each hike comes with the authors recommendations regarding considerations of the trail, useful contact information, how to get there, and other things in the area. As a bit of a bonus, there are several pages of "interesting asides" which will teach you where cork comes from, how reeds for musical instruments are made, and much, much more!

I've hiked in France, but I had no idea what a beautiful and interesting region Cote d'Azur was until I read Florence Chatzigianis's, "26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur." Now I want to go there, her guidebook in hand, and try out the trails she describes so vividly!

Chatzigianis's book is not only informative, but also easy to use. She's organized the 26 hikes by region, which enables visitors to quickly find a trail nearby. I particularly like the way that the "Table of Hikes," breaks the hikes into categories of "easy" and "medium," and then gives the distance and time needed for each. And since I like to know whether I'll be doing a lot of climbing in the mountains or a bit of strolling by the shore, I find the small drawings showing the elevation range of each hike are also quite useful.

Chatzigianis's colorful photos are a rich accompaniment to the text. Not only are there pictures of the beautiful countryside, but also of the many historical and cultural sights that most auto-touring visitors miss.

Finally, I found that the "Aside" sections--short essays on such intriguing topics as "Hiking Under Water," (on the island of Port-Cros) and "The Cork Oak" (some of which you see on the Lac de l'Ecureuil trail), make "26 Gorgeous Hikes on the West Cote d'Azur" an indispensable guide for any traveler who wants to truly experience France's Mediterranean coastline.

Highly recommended!

26 Gorgeous Hikes on the Western Cote d'Azur by Florence Chatzigianis details wonderful half-day experiences along the Mediterranean Sea coast of France. With excellent maps of each hike and beautiful color photographs of the places to hike, the book includes Islands of Hyeres, St. Tropez, Frejus and Saint-Raphael and the Esterel Mountains and the Maures Mountains, from Hyeres to Cannes. Chatzigianis gives instructions of what to wear, best times to go, and alluring descriptions of what you will experience. She also tells for each hike the distance, time required, elevation, and difficulty, as well as restaurants, tourism offices, and sports stores nearby. The book is certainly one to plan your trip to this beautiful area.