Visit

Family outing to discover Mons, the Oratoire Saint-Pierre and the Riens megalith.
The Riens dolmen is set in the center of a tumulus and housed collective tombs.

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The commune of Mons boasts several late Neolithic dolmens that bear witness to an important social group over 4,000 years ago.
The cover slabs of the Riens dolmen are missing, and it was used for collective burials.
One of them probably lies on the ground on the north side, while the other has disappeared. The entrance to the chamber is very original, in the shape of an ogive, a feature not observed elsewhere.
Two other uncovered dolmens can be seen on the road to Escragnoles: La Colle and La Brainée.

> STARTING POINT
GPS coordinates: 43.689352, 6.712696
Place Saint-Sébastien
Free parking

> ROUTE
1 - From Place Saint-Sébastien, walk past the town hall and cross the village from west to east via Rue Jean Vadon and Rue Pierre Porre.

2 - At the "Plus loin Fontaines" crossroads, turn right onto the Route de Callian (D56) and immediately left towards the Barriguetou district.

3 - At the crossroads, turn left. Directional sign "Sentiers des Mégalithes".

4 - At letterbox no. 695, turn left onto chemin des Ferrages, then another path.
After 300 m, you'll come to the chapel and oratory of Saint-Pierre. After the chapel, keep to the right of the signposted path (ignore the yellow cross).

5 - Continue along the narrow road for 70 m and, on the right, a sign indicates the Riens dolmen, hidden 50 m away in the vegetation.

Return by the same route.

VISITOR ALERT

During the summer months, please check the opening hours of the massifs before setting off on your hike.
This circuit is located in the Plateau de Canjuers massif.
Consult the map updated daily by the prefecture: www.risque-prevention-incendie.fr/var/

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

- Heritage tour of the village of Mons
- Guided tour by appointment every Friday morning - sign circuit
- Oratoire Saint-Pierre
- Panorama

Perched on a rocky outcrop, buffeted by the wind, Mons invites you to stroll through time, from the prehistoric dolmen of Riens, to the narrow streets adorned with wrought-iron signs celebrating the trades of yesteryear that lead you along the calades.

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As you stroll through the streets and crossroads, the village's old walls tell their own stories. Step by step, the walker discovers porches, arcades, sculpted doors, Renaissance windows, romantic squares, wash-houses, fountains...
Follow the wrought-iron signs to discover the old trades of Mons.
Mons, a "village of character", has preserved all its Provencal authenticity.

> STARTING POINT
Free parking in the village of Mons - Parking place Saint-Sébastien

> ITINERARY
A - Place Saint-Sébastien
Panoramic table.
Exceptional panorama of the Estérel massif, the canton of Fayence, the bay of Saint-Raphaël and Cannes.

B - Chapel of the Pénitents blancs
Founded in 1604 - Baroque altarpiece dating from 1713 - a large part of this chapel was converted into the town hall in 1969.

C - The Maison Monsoise
This is one of the few houses in the village in which all the architectural features of bygone days have been preserved: the vegetable garden, the bugadier, the old fireplace and its stone hearth. The fruit of the collaboration of all Monsoise residents, this old house has become: a place for safeguarding heritage, a place of memory, a place for exchange and creation.

D - Lou Fournas
The large oven, originally owned by the commune of Mons "since time immemorial". The 1468 deed of settlement refers to the bread oven donated by the community's lord, Antoine de Vileneuve, in exchange for the levy of one loaf of bread or cake out of 40, as part of the right to bake. It ceased to operate definitively at the end of the Great War.

E - The old castle
In 1580, the inhabitants drove out the lord and set fire to the château. In retaliation, the Duke of Savoy laid siege to Mons in 1590. From this site, known as the "Château-Vieux", narrow streets lined with houses dating from the 10th and 13th centuries lead to the "Portes Seigneurales", the entrance to the old medieval town.

F - The terrace of the Chapelle du Seigneur
Viewpoint

G - Notre-Dame de l'Assomption church
Begun in 1260, the church was enlarged in the 15th and 17th centuries. Six magnificent Baroque altarpieces and an exhibition of 91 dressed santons adorn the interior. The bell tower and bells are among the oldest in the Var: Vénus (1488), Marie-Anne Sauveterre (1501) and Musane (1535).

H - Marine et Monstagne exhibition

Robert Audibert exhibits all the model ships he has built with matches, devoting all his spare time to his passion. For example, the ship "Soleil Royal", with its sails and cannons, required over 5,000 hours of work and 32,000 matches. You can also admire a unique piece: the 1:127 scale model of the village of Mons, with all its houses, alleyways and lighting.

- The sign circuit -
A circuit of 35 wrought-iron signs along the village streets is a reminder of the houses where trades that no longer exist were once practiced.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

- Guided tour of the village of Mons and the sign circuit on Friday mornings at 10:30 a.m.
- Guided tour of the Maison Monsoise and Lou Fournas at 11:30 a.m.
Information and booking 04 94 76 01 02
5€ / adult - free for children under 18.