Tour de la Tete de Chien
Hiking the 'dog's head' across limestone cliffs
The town of Cap d’Ail is dominated by the white limestone cliffs that loom up behind it; this walk takes you up to the summit in a circuit that looks out over both sea and mountains.
What to see
Sights in Monaco
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Le Jardin Exotique de Monaco
Monaco's exotic garden was opened to the public in 1933. In its prestigious, open-air setting, it brings together a wide variety of succulent plants.
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Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology
The area around the Cote d'Azur is rich in prehistoric artefacts, many of which can be found in this fascinating museum.
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Fontvieille Park & Princess Grace Rose Garden
These well-manicured gardens contain a variety of beautiful plants, trees and flowers as well as being home to the wonderful Princess Grace rose garden.
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Parc Princesse-Antoinette
Created in 1917 when Prince Albert I saved the area from industrialisation and created the park to protect the olive groves.
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Collection des Voitures Anciennes (Vintage Cars Collection)
Prince Rainier III was a huge car enthusiast and amassed a vast collection of vintage cars.
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Museum of Stamps and Coins, Fontvielle
There are rare philatelic specimens from the postal history of the Principality, as well as related documents used in the stamp-printing process dating back to Monaco's Prince Charles III in 1885.
Where to lunch
Restaurants in Monaco
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La Chevre d'Or Restaurant, Eze
This gourmet restaurant offers panoramic views across the Mediterranean and gained two Michelin stars in 2011.
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Las Brisas Restaurant
Located in the Monte-Carlo Bay Resort, this restaurant is open only in the summer and serves Mediterranean cuisine on a pleasant terrace.
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Yoshi Restaurant
Yoshi Restaurant is located in Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo and holds one Michelin star.
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Le Cap Restaurant, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
Michelin-starred chef, Didier Anies, recognised as Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2000, has created a gourmet cuisine at this restaurant; one which is unfussy, full of flavour and low key yet elegant.
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Louis XV Restaurant
Considered by many to be the finest restaurant on the Riviera, this Alain Ducasse delight has an opulent and dazzling setting in the heart of the Hôtel de Paris and holds three Michelin stars.
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Hostellerie Jerome Restaurant, La Turbie
Chef Bruno Cirino prepares Mediterranean dishes that carefully showcase the flavours of local produce. A light and creative cuisine that you can enjoy in their elegant dining room with vaulted ceilings and frescoes or their shaded terrace overlooking the sea.
What to do
Things To Do in Monaco
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One Week Yacht Charter Itineraries
Experience the French Riviera your way with 212 yachts, using one of their sample itineraries or with a specialised itinerary created just for you, based on what you like and don't like, as well as their own expertise.
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Luxury Chantella Yacht Trip
Take a trip onboard this luxury yacht along the Riviera to any destination of your choosing.
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Motorbike hire
Based in Menton, motorbike and scooter rental so you can explore the South of France.
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Road bike hire
This company is based in Menton and offers a range of road bikes.
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Luxury Rehab Yacht Trip
Take a trip onboard this luxury yacht along the Riviera to any destination of your choosing.
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Luxury Tayarrah Yacht Trip
Take a trip onboard this luxury yacht along the Riviera to any destination of your choosing.
Directions
Starting from the centre of Cap d’Ail you head east along the main street until you come to a small side road called Chemin des Mimosas, turn up it and after a few steps follow it round to the right. This hike starts with a fair bit of asphalt, but the scenery is nice and although you’re going uphill the gradient is not too taxing. You also get to have a nose at fancy villas on the way past. This little pedestrian road will take you behind the houses and up a number of staircases until you come out on the main road RD6007 (Moyenne Corniche). Here you need to cross at the traffic lights and follow Chemin des Cyclamens opposite until you come to your first signpost for the Tete de Chien on the left.
The route is not always obvious as the first part alternates between residential backstreets and small footpaths for a little while but it is well marked, you just need to keep your eyes open for the yellow paint that leads the way. Once you’ve crossed the final road (Grande Corniche) you’re on the trail proper and in a wilderness of limestone, cacti, wild herbs and tangled flowers.
The higher you get, the more stunning the scenery becomes and you see further and further along the coast. The high cliffs above you keep giving way to more beautiful views each time you turn a corner, because the path zig-zags up the rocks you constantly see the landscape from different perspectives. Someone obviously likes to contemplate the view up here, as about halfway up there is a makeshift bench made out of slabs of rock.
It’s not just hikers that you’ll meet on the path, the area is a popular trail running route and a number of the cliffs are bolted up for rock climbing. Rather them than me in this heat…
The trail is rough underfoot and rather overgrown in places, but this all just adds to the charm. Although it can be steep in places, the gradient is generally pleasant and you’ll find that you stop so often anyway to look at the view that you shouldn’t find it too hard. Decent shoes are recommended due to the hard stony path and hiking poles come in useful for the occasional steep section.
The path twists and turns until it comes out onto an open plateau at 556m, strewn with boulders and long grass. Atop the plateau is a large stone building that looks a bit like a military installation but is in fact a telecommunications research centre with a large white ball perched on top that peers out of the long grass, like in The Prisoner…
From here you pick up signs for Tete de Chien (tour) in order to circle round the summit, partly on asphalt, and rejoin the path on the other side of the big building. There are picnic tables up here and although the area itself isn’t pretty the views are impressive. You can see right along the coastline in both directions and way out over the mountains as you look inland towards the medieval fortress town of La Turbie.
The name of the hike comes from the fact that when it is plotted on a map it looks like the head of a dog (kind of, if you squint and use a lot of imagination). Apparently old documents describe it as being a mastiff squatting over Monaco - presumably by someone who wasn’t a big fan of Monaco.
From up here though you get fantastic views of that legendary port and as you descend you feel as though you are leaning right out over it. The path back down is a bit steeper than the one up, so if you brought hiking poles this would be a good time to use them. It’s perfectly doable without though, you just have to mind your step on some sections.
The path loops around, so that you get a whole new perspective on the scenery and as you get closer to Cap d’Ail the pale sand and bright blue bay of Plage Marquet comes tantalisingly into view. This hike is very exposed and on a hot day you will be in full sunshine - the sea looks very tempting from here.
Towards the end of the hike someone has inconveniently built a couple of swish villas with terraced gardens and outdoor pools that you have to pick your way around, it’s all signposted though and there is the option to branch off and head to Monaco if that takes your fancy.
Otherwise, keep following signs to Cap d’Ail and you’ll soon find yourself back in a residential area from where it is an easy walk back down to the town.
