Travel to the top of the mountain that overlooks Toulon to hike across its summit, see big cats in their enclosures and learn about World War II history.
Climb aboard a cable car for a ride to the top of Mont Faron. The mountain rises 1,916 feet (584 meters) above the Toulon skyline, and its large summit features a zoo, restaurants, walking trails and a museum.
As you ride the cable car, look down on the hundreds of acres of forest beneath your feet. When you reach the summit, spend a few moments taking in the impressive view of the city and port of Toulon as well as the offshore islands.
Go for a stroll along the signposted footpaths or cycle on the mountain bike trails. A 5-minute walk from the cable car arrival terminal will bring you to the Allied Landings Museum. Inside the stone structure you can browse documents and artifacts from World War II. They belonged to some of the allied armies who landed in France in 1944 to liberate the south of the country from the Nazis.
The Fauverie de Faron Zoo is on the summit of Mont Faron. Visit enclosures that house lions, pumas, tigers, panthers and other types of big cat. You can also see monkeys and wolves at the animal attraction.
If you plan to spend several hours on the summit bring some food with you and rest in a picnic area. Alternatively, dine in one of the restaurants.
Mont Faron is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of the center of Toulon. The cable car opens every morning with different closing times in the evening depending on the month. It is closed from mid-November until the school winter holidays in February and on particularly windy days. There is a fee for the cable car ride with discounts for children and large groups and deals on combined cable car and zoo access.
If the cable car is not in operation during your time in Toulon, reach the summit and its attractions by the road that climbs up the western side of Mont Faron.
