The Parcours Cyclable du Littoral Six-Fours/St-Raphaël (V65 of the Schéma National des Véloroutes et Voies Vertes) allows you to cover part of the Var coastline by the coast or inland, following the route of the old Provence railway.
Crossing Toulon on the V65 is a very urban affair, and should be undertaken with caution, as bicycles are not allowed in the city. Nevertheless, it's a useful way to discover the town, its port, its neighborhoods, its architecture and its various must-see sites (museums, beaches, attractions...).
Cycling in Toulon is certainly tricky in some places (shared lanes, few greenways, pressure from motorists, itinerary to be clarified...). Nevertheless, some parts are more pleasant:
- The entrance to Toulon via the former Arsenal moat, just below the freeway, is protected by these ancient fortifications and offers a privileged access route to the Palais des Sports.
- In the heart of the city, you'll want to take advantage of the small, sometimes pedestrianized, streets that allow you to avoid the main boulevards and stay out of the way of traffic, while enjoying all that Toulon has to offer: its fountains, its market, its stores, its restaurants and so on.
- When you leave the city center at "la Porte des Oliviers", in the direction of Le Pradet/La Garde, the route is very pleasant. You'll be walking along a genuine "coulée verte", an undergrowth that runs alongside a small stream known for its coolness in summer, brought on by shade and humidity (Les Ameniers district).
This last section marks the start of a program initiated by Toulon Provence Méditerranée: "Easy Borne TPM", accessible from your smartphone. A series of information access points via digital terminals that line the coastal cycling route.
The terminals in Toulon are as follows:
Terminal no. 1: Porte des Oliviers
Terminal no. 2: Benoit Malon
Bollard no. 3: Les Ameniers
Bollard no. 4: Coulée Verte
Bollard no. 5: Pont de Suve
Water point located between bollards n°4 and n°5.
Parcours cyclable du littoral - V65 : Toulon > La Garde
2 Avenue Lieutenant D'Estienne D'Orves
83200 Toulon
(Access to the Palais des Sports parking lot is via Porte Malbousquet de l'Arsenal (exit 15), while the cycle path runs alongside the parking lot towards Toulon center and La Seyne-sur-Mer.
However, Toulon's V65 section starts earlier, on Avenue Aristide Briand, above the Lagoubran cemetery.)