Train des Pignes from Annot

Annot sits on the Train des Pignes — the narrow-gauge railway that runs 150 kilometres from Nice to Digne-les-Bains through the Southern Alps. The railway is the reason Annot has more accommodation than you would expect for a town of its size; it was built to serve isolated mountain communities, and it still does. Arriving by train and walking up to the boulders is the ideal way to spend a day here.

The journey from Nice takes about three hours and passes through spectacular mountain scenery — gorges, viaducts, and switchbacks that make the route an experience in itself. From Annot you can continue north to Digne-les-Bains or take the train back toward Nice. Walking between stations is also popular; the terrain between Annot and the next station up the line offers good day-hiking options.

things to do sight
A story
The Train des Pignes nearly did not survive into the 21st century — several proposals to close the line were debated in the 1980s and 1990s. It was saved partly by tourist interest and partly because it genuinely serves isolated communities that have no other public transport. The 2014 Annot derailment, caused by a rock fall, briefly put the line out of service, but repairs were completed and the line reopened.