Marina from CapitainerieMarina view to seaward 
 
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Around and about
The area surrounding Frejus is full of interest for people of every taste. If visiting the haunts of the rich and famous appeals, there are the towns of Monaco, Monte Carlo, Nice, Cannes and St Tropez within easy reach. If you prefer the relative quiet (or cool) of the hills, there are numerous hill towns and villages, each with their own special interest. There is also spectacular geology ranging from the stiking red Massif d'Esterel, which creates awe inspiring coastal scenery between Agay and Cannes, to France's own 'Grand Canyon', the Gorge du Verdon with its steep sides leading down to a turquiose river.

 


St Raphael
Adjoining Port Frejus on the east, St Raphael is a small but fashoinable resort town. Points of note are the TGV train station, the casino and archeological museum. St Raphael marks the eastern end of the long stretch of sandy beach that extends from St Aygulf

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St Aygulf

A small resort around 2 miles west of Port Frejus, St Aygulf is notable mainly for its beaches. Man-made breakwaters placed parallel to the coast have formed a number of tiny bays that are ideal for safe family bathing. Several car parks have been provided by the road, but are full by 11:00 am in the summer.

The coast from St Tropez to Cannes

St Tropez
An old fishing village on the southern side of the Golfe du St Tropez, the village of St Tropez was discovered in the 19th century and, although crowded in the summer, has lost little of its original charm. Apart from a few fishing boats, the main craft moored to the quay are multi-million pound power and sailing vessels. There are many harbour-side bars in which to relax and watch the other visitors and an ice cream bar of note to the south side of the quay. As the coast road around here is always choc-a-bloc in the summer, the best way to travel to St Tropez is by boat. Trips run from Port Frejus, but a more frequent boat 'bus' service runs from Ste Maxime harbour. Boats also run between St Tropez and Port Grimaud on the northern shore of the Golfe. A good tour is to incorporate this trip with the trip to St Tropez. Tickets for both legs can be bought in Ste Maxime.

Ste Maxime
Also on the north side of the Golfe, Ste Maxime is a small town enjoying some fine beaches, with numerous small bays to the east. A regular boat service from here serves St Tropez.
   

Port Grimaud
Dubbed the 'Venice of France', this village was designed in 1966 as a marina resort and many of the houses and apartments have their own water frontage. Parking is in a large car park adjacent to, but outside, the village itself. Although the whole atmosphere feels a little contrived, Port Grimaud has its appeal. Above Port Grimaud are the hill villages of Grimaud and, further afield, La Garde Freinet.

 

Les Issambres
Les Issambres lies east from Ste Maxime, approximately half way to St Aygulf. It has an attractive coastline, with many small beaches, but little in the way of shops etc. There is an interesting drive from Les Issambres over the Col de Brugnon to Roqubrune
 

Agay
Although there are coastal neighbourhoods on the way, the next place of note to the east is Agay. Set in an attractive bay this is a small resort with little in the way of commerce. Travelling east, Agay marks the start of the spectacular coast road beneath the Esterel Massif. It is easily accessible from Frejus St Raphael as the local train stops at Agay station.


 


Cap du Dramont
Cap du Dramont forms a spectacular headland that marks the western side of Agay bay. From the car park on its eastern (Agay) side there is an easily walked footpath leads to its seaward end and up to the main observation points by a radio tower that offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and Esterel coastline. A path also leads to the lighthouse but that vatage point is closed to the public.

 

 

On the west side of the Cap Du Dramont is a small harbour and, lying off a few hundred metres,a small island, Isle d'Or.

  Between Agay and Cannes
The first half of this journey offers stunning coastal scenery where the red Esterel meets the Mediterranean blue sea as the road winds to follow a multitude of inlets and beaches.
Cannes
Made famous by its annual film festival, the Palais de Congres in Cannes plays host to many international events, mainly out of the holiday season. Cannes was allegedly discovered by Lord Brougham in 1834 and was followed by wintering British and Russian royals. Along the shoreline runs La Croisette, flanked on the shore side by expensive hotels and one can occasionally see paperazzi waiting with huge telephoto lenses to capture pictures of celebrities on luxury yachts moored in the bay.
   

 

Roqubrune and nearby villages
Roqubrune is a relatively small village approximately 12 miles inland, not far from the Autoroute. It is dominated by the hill of the same name as the town, which is composed of reddish granite. The flow of the lava that formed it can be clearly seen from the road passing around its northern edge. From the road over it to the south there is a 30 minute walk to vantage points offering spectacular views, and, with guidance and care, the summit can be reached.

Other villages close by are Puget and Le Muy, which closes its streets each Sunday for the bustling town market. On the dual carriageway that by-passes Puget there is an extensive commercial area stretching to the outskirts of Frejus that has a large Carrefour hypermarket, car dealers, DIY and other similar stores.

 

 

Further East

St Paul-de-Vence and Antibes
Famed for its good light for artists, St Paul-de-Vence ws a walled town and it ramparts can still be seen intact. Antibes is an interesting small town, which is also a fashionabale place to live for those who work in this area (and can afford to do so!).

Nice
Capital of the Cote, Nice is France's fifth largest city, with the region's airport. A resort from the 18th century, the British built the Promenade des Anglais, which stretches approximately 2 miles along the main sea frontage. There is a variety of architectural styles, museums (one of which commemorates the work od Matisse) and some Roman ruins.

Monaco and Monte Carlo
The genuine home of bling! Characterised by obvious wealth, Monaco and Monte Carlo are on opposite sides of a steep bay surrounding the harbour at Monaco. Walking around in the summer it is easy to trace much of the course of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. Sights worth seeing in Monaco are the Palace (changing of the guard at 12 noon), the Hydrographic Museum and the hughe private yachts in the harbour. In Monte Carlo, experience the Casino, Hotel de Paris and Cafe de Paris.

Once a week, for around 4 weeks in the summer, Monaco host a spectacular international firework competition in over the harbour. One of the best vantage points is from the path leading from the harbour to the Palace, but it is necessary to claim a place early for a good view. The cost of a meal is reasonable as this is controlled by the Principality and there are many good small restaurants to be found in the small streets between the Palace and the Hydrographic Museum.




Inland

In general, the area behind the coast is hilly, even mountainous in places. There are several areas of upland known as Massifs which are relatively unspoilt and far less populated in the summer than the coastal strip and a number of famous people (including Matisse and Picasso) chose to live in the hills away from the coast. THe weather can be significantly different here, as the hill attract more cloud and rain, frequently resulting in short thunderstorms.

   
 

Maures Massif
The Maures is the range of hills extending westward
and inland from the Golfe de St Tropez towards Toulon. The many hill villages, which are a pleasure to visit, are reached by winding roads over passes, with frequent opportunities to enjoy the views into the valleys. Tortoises can be found occasionally in the wild, and there is a turtle sanctuary to be found by one of the through roads.Towns worthy of note here are La Guard-Freinet and Grimaud.

  
 
  Provencal Villages
There are so many beautiful villages in the area that extends to the north-west sector of Frejus as far as Aix en Provence. Worth including in a visit are Fayence, Draguinan, Les Arcs, Barjol.