Seillans clings to a hillside above the plain of Fayence, a perched village of ochre houses, narrow lanes and fountains, with a castle and a church at the top. It is one of the officially recognised most beautiful villages of France, and it has attracted artists for generations; the surrealist painter Max Ernst spent his last years here, and a small collection of his work can be seen in the village.
The view from the top of the village is magnificent, stretching over the plain towards the Lac de Saint-Cassien and the Esterel hills, with the Mediterranean shimmering beyond on clear days. Behind the village, the land rises towards the high plateaus of the Var, wild and empty, much of it used as a military training area.
The riding around Seillans is excellent. The roads that link the perched villages of the Pays de Fayence, Seillans, Fayence, Montauroux and others, are narrow and winding, with tight hairpins and great views. To the north, the roads climb towards Mons and the high plateaus, and eventually to the Gorges du Verdon, one of the great rides of Provence. The surfaces are generally good, but summer brings tourist traffic, and the heat can be intense. Watch for gravel on the corners and for cyclists on the climbs.
Seillans has a few cafés and restaurants, while fuel and supermarkets are found in Fayence and the plain below. A lunch on a village terrace, with a view over the plain, is a classic Provençal experience. After this stop the ride heads north-east towards the Col de Turini and the Mercantour, through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the south of France.