Fodor's Expert Review Fort de Buoux

This site contains the ruins of an ancient village and a fortification that defended the valley in both Ligurian and Roman times. Several houses and an entire staircase were chiseled directly into the stone; it's uncertain whether they're prehistoric or medieval. Louis XIV dismantled the ancient fortifications in the 17th century, leaving Turneresque ruins to become overgrown with wild box and ivy. It is a hike up, and it's not kid-friendly due to the drop-offs above the ravines.