The Gulf of Saint-Tropez may be small, but the landscape is incredibly diverse. There are dazzling beaches and the Massif des Maures, one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth, a strikingly vivid chain of primeval rocks in hues of grey, red and violet, covered in chestnut and cork forests. The Corsica-like maquis, an undergrowth of aromatic herbs, fauna and flora scents the air. The beautiful villages of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez dot the landscapte, and there are around 40 wineries where the sun-blessed grapes produce the most elegant roses, whites and reds. This is a place for hiking, cycling, horse riding, visiting the botanical gardens, and enjoying the region’s amazing nature activities.
Ramatuelle
Perched high on a hill, the entire village of Ramatuelle, a former Roman outpost, is a listed historic monument. It’s a sleepy little village that’s full of surprises. In Place du Chateau there is no chateau, but ancient houses lean against each other for support. There are winding cobbled streets, arty boutiques, secret passages, cosy cafés and an innovative free tourist app that takes you on a treasure hunt. Like everywhere in this area, people are acutely eco-aware; cooking oil fuels the lawnmowers, and the council is creating a rain harvest system underground to water the plants. “It’s about sharing” says Bruno Caïetti from the tourist office “for everyone here, share and sustain – it’s a win/win”.
Pampelonne beach in Ramatuelle
If you go looking for the beach where a nubile Brigitte Bardot steamed up the camera lens in the 1956 movie ‘And God Created Woman’, in Saint-Tropez as many do, you won’t find it. But it’s not far away. In Pampelonne, the 4.5km of beaches are a paradise for swimming and sun-bathing. This coastline also stood in for French Polynesia in the early days of film – it’s easy to see why with soft silky sand, and greenish-blue blue waves split by soft whitecaps. Don’t miss l’Orangerie restaurant right on the beach, one of the few that’s open year-round, seriously popular with the locals and the perfect place to watch the sun set.
But there’s more to this place. For the last 30 years there has been a big effort to return the area to its natural state with dune protective measures. 90,000 native plants were dug up and conserved for several years to keep them safe but are now replanted and thriving, helping to stop erosion. The restaurants which once sprawled on the beach have been moved back slightly to enlarge the beach area and protect the precious sand. And small dune areas created to protect wildlife and the environment now enhance the beaches. It’s an astonishing success story, the first conservation programme of its kind, and other countries are now studying the results to learn how to keep more areas safe and preserved for the future.
Grimaud
The cobbled streets of Grimaud which sits above Port Grimaud, are awash with colour from plants and flowers that climb the walls and around the doors and windows of the old buildings, and when the ancient church bells ring, you can’t help but feel that this pickled-in-the-past centuries old beauty has ignored the passing of time.
Ancient staircases lead you to the top of a mountain where the ruins of an 11th century, Grimadi-family owned (after whom the town is named) castle seem to spring straight from earth. Ponder 1000 years of history as you listen to wild nightingales sing and gaze out over the landscape and hilltop towns.
Visit the local area by 2cv or Mehari with Deuch’moiselles (lesdeuchmoiselles.fr) run by Coglin-based Virginie Iafolla. I toured in a 2CV named Brigitte, there’s also Jack (named after Virginie’s Jack Russell), and Camille named after her grandma, “they’re a bit like children to me” she says. As we pootled and tooted tree-lined roads, everyone turned to smile – these cars bring out the happy in everyone.
Lunch: La Halle de Grimaud: a small covered market, with fresh cooked street food and sandwiches make this a favourite with the locals, it feels like you’re taking a holiday when you eat lunch here!
Dinner: Le Petit Jacques, (restaurantpetitjacques.com) Grimaud. Recently re-opened under the new ownership of a young couple, you’ll find a warm welcome, excellent local, seasonal dishes cooked by Canadian chef Francis and an excellent wine list chosen by his partner Susanne. Everything is homemade, from the bread and sauces to the brioche and vanilla ice cream.
Stay: B&B La Maison du Prince (maisonduprince.com), in the rue des Templiers, Grimaud – named for the band of crusading knights who guarded this part of the coast in the 12th century. Match a historic village house with a touch of interior design and you have a truly charming chambre d’hôtes. Owner and host Patrice Favière dreamed of having a small home Grimaud after a career in Paris, but fell hook, line and sinker for this B&B where the young Prince Rainier of Monaco often stayed when it was his childhood friend’s home. Featuring a superb collection of artworks, kitsch flea market finds and Prince Rainier memorabilia, and boasting the comfiest of beds, Maison du Prince is a unique and fabulous place to stay.
Port Grimaud
Built in the 1960s by visionary architect François Spoerry on former marshland, the ‘lagoon city’ of some 2,500 villas, is mind-bogglingly pretty. Provence meets Venice. I was speechless at the unique architecture with buildings in every shade of pastel. Crossed by numerous canals, the alleys and squares are connected by small bridges and almost every home has a private boat mooring. You can get lost in its maze of narrow streets punctuated by bridges, but a short canal tour by boat Coche d’eau (hpco.fr) is the best way to truly appreciate this unique and incredible village on the sea.
Sainte-Maxime
Sainte-Maxime was once a quiet fishing village, somewhat cut off from the rest of the area. But its fortunes were transformed when the railway line arrived in the 1800s. The lined formed part of the Route des Pignes, the Route of the Pines, named after the umbrella pine trees that grow here.
Inspired by the success of Nice in attracting hordes of tourists, Sainte-Maxime’s council developed its tourism offer building a casino and holiday apartments. The railway line is long gone, destroyed during WWII, it was considered too expensive to repair and replace, but Sainte-Maxime remains one of the biggest and most bustling towns in the area with year-round festivals, fetes and fairs.
There are loads of beautiful beaches for a spot of sunbathing and swimming. Take a guided tour to discover the history and architecture of Sainte-Maxime (sainte-maxime.com) from the 16th century Tour Carrée which was built by monks, to the façade of the 1920s Art Deco Palais des Sirènes to the palatial former home Léon Gaumont, pioneer of the motion picture industry in France.
Rayol-Canadel sur Mer
The gorgeous gardens of the Domaine du Rayol are a must-see (even on a winter’s day like in my photo), and a true jewel of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez. A mix of plants from around the word including California, south Afriva, Australia, Chile and New Zealand, blanket the slopes that lead down to the Mediterranean Sea. You can easily spend a half day or more here, especially if you include lunch at the elegant Café des Jardiniers which is open to all garden visitors. You can’t reserve in advance, and it’s super popular, so get there early and enjoy a seasonal menu and a great choice of cocktails and wine. (domaineduroyal.org)
Don’t miss Le Maurin des Maures restaurant (maurin-des-maures.com) Proprietor and chef André Del Monte, affectionately known to his customer as Dédé, is nicknamed the ‘King of the Bouillabaise.’ It’s been his signature dish for some 40 years at the restaurant which overlooks the Bay of Rayol and where the walls are lined with photos of happy diners including French presidents and Hollywood celebs.
“I make bouillabaise like you make at home, traditional. Cooking it is easy, cleaning the fish is hard. It’s all about the quality of products. My hands are stained red with saffron when I prepare it… I mix the fish with onions, garlic, tomato, potato and a few more things. I prepare it the day before to give it time for the flavours to infuse and give it a stronger taste. It’s a sharing meal, even after so long making it, I still have it at home, I love it” he grinned. “You want to know the story of bouillabaise?” I nodded, enthralled by his natural story telling. “Well in the old days, the fishermen had too much fish, they couldn’t sell the ugly fish…” I’ll leave him to tell you the rest when you visit!
La Garde Freinet
A pretty and authentic little village that’s off the beaten track and surrounded by vineyards. Domaine Up (ultimateprovence.com) is an exceptional hotel in an exquisite location in the heart of a vineyard surrounded by forest. New-wave Provencal accommodation with old school glamour, deeply restful, luxurious rooms with private terraces, a gleaming spa, gorgeous gardens and a sports area including a glass-walled padel court overlooking the vines. The seriously sleek bar offers tastings of the estates own fabulous wines. It’s foodie heaven, superb fine dining, cocktails on the roof terrace watching the sun set, or on the pétanque pitch. Leave room in your sightseeing itinerary to float in the pool and soak up the ambiance of this little bit of Provencal paradise.
Discover the area and heaps to see and do at: www.visitgolfe.com
Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books about France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de vivre, is out now – a look at the French way of life. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com
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