We almost wimped out and didn't finish the hike up the hill...so glad we decided to forge on! If you take the winding path, it takes quite a while, but is scenic and easier on the legs than the stairs. (Oy, those stairs...) There are lots of super athletic types running by, but we were content with our hot coffee/tea to sip and stroll. The view at the top/the chateau is quite nice and you can go inside to rest and warm up. No food other than vending machines (the history of the place revealed multiple failed attempts at putting a restaurant there). We were very happy to have spent a half day of our trip on this excursion.