WALKS AND OUTINGS

The old town

The point of departure is the Tourist Office built in 1974, an original design. The Simon-Lorière promenade which was totally built up from the sea offers a variety of Mediterranean plants and flowers and three magnificent sculptures by Jean Portal representing dawn (carved by Gerard Gislin), daytime and dusk. On the east side at the edge of a small square you can see a memorial inaugurated in 1994 on the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of the allied landings on 15 August 1944.

Towards the south, the gardens are lined by the boat moorings of the port. A walk on the large pier will allow you to enjoy a magnificent view of the Golf of St Tropez.

Facing the port is the entrance to the beautifully decorated paved pedestrian ways leading to the market and to the heart of the old town. The square tower known as the Tour Carrée stands at the entrance to the town. This monument which faces the Tower of Portalet of St Tropez appears to have been successively a seigneurial tower, a granary storehouse, a fort for the defence of the gulf and has also served as a town hall for many years. Since 1986 it has been the home of the Museum of Local Traditions.

The church dedicated to Sainte-Maxime is behind the tower. It was entirely renovated in 1990 and the bell tower recovered its original campanile. Inside the church one can admire the marble altar which came from the Chartreuse de la Verne with sculptures attributed to Pierre Puget (XV th c.)

You then take the rue d’Alsace to go to the Market Square where you will notice on the right a vaulted porch under the houses and an old fresh water well. If you carry on you will reach the Place des Sarassins.

We now leave the old village. The newer developments begin on the western side. To the North, on the Place Mermoz, there used to be a railway station of the "Pine Tree" train (train des Pignes) which linked Saint-Raphael to Toulon. Going down towards the sea by the avenue Jean-Jaures, you face the Casino-Beach built in 1932. On your left, after the "Traverse des Lauriers Roses", you will pass in front of the Villa Béthanie where Guy Maupassant’s family stayed.

THE SEMAPHORE HILL

Follow the Bellevue boulevard (above the Post Office) then take the Semaphore boulevard. Come back via the boulevard des Grands Horizons- Montée du Semaphore- the boulevard des Cistes and the boulevard Beau Site; beautiful panoramas everywhere. This walk takes about 2 hours.

 
THE VIERGE NOIRE

Take the rue Jean Aicard opposite the port, then on the right behind the church, the Berthie Albrecht avenue which leads to the Chemin de la Vierge Noire and to the beautiful beach of La Nartelle.

You should visit: The Black Virgin oratory, offered by Dr Theus and inaugurated on 28^th August 1881 by the abbot Marius Romain. This statue was erected following a not very serious stagecoach accident, on the old road to Italy. The chapel of La Nartelle, on the Av. De Provence was named Ste Jeanne de Chantal by the abbot Le Jeune. The first stone was taken from the ruins of the St Pierre chapel in the vieux Revest, and laid on July 15, 1956. You can come back along the seaside road. This walk takes about three hours.

THE COASTAL FOOTPATH (SAINT-TROPEZ - CAVALAIRE)

Marked out in yellow: From Saint-Tropez to the Plage de Tahiti (12.5Km - 3 Hrs 35mnts)

 Departure from the Port of Saint-Tropez - Baie des Cannebiers (2.8Km - 50 mnsts) accessible via the Tour du Portalet and the old tower, go past the cemetery, follow the earthen footpath till you get to the beach of plage des Granniers and continue on the marked out footpath.

 Baie des Cannebiers to the Plage des Salins (3.2Km - 1 Hr 45) After the Baie des Cannebiers follow the earthen footpath which leads to l’Estagnet. When you get to Cap Saint Pierre, the footpath leaves the coastline. Continue towards the Pointe du Rabiou, and the pointe de l’Ay up to La Moute after crossings the rocks of La Moute, then walk along the beach to the Cap de Saint-Tropez.

 Plage des Salins-Cap Pinet-Plage de Tahiti (3.5Km - 1Hr). After the plage des Salins take a track up to the Pointe du Capon, and follow the footpath which runs along halfway up the cliff.

 Plage de Tahiti to the Bonne Terrasse Beach (5Km - 1 Hr 30mnts).

 From Cap Camarat to the Beach in Cavalaire (19Km - 5 Hrs 45). Cap Camarat-Plage de l’Escalet-cap Taillat-cap lardier (11.5Km - 3Hr30. Follow the yellow markings along the rocky footpath above the sea. Cap Lardier-Plage de Gigaro-Plage de Cavalaire (7Km - 2 Hrs)

GRIMAUD

 

This is a charming Provencale village. Historic capital of the Massif des Maures. Grimaud is a centre of old Ligurian and Celtic civilisations which lived there thousands of years B.C.

Walking in this flowered village you will discover the XI th c. Chapelle des Pénitents. You then go up to the ruins of the castle built in 980 A.D. where great Provencale families such as the Grimaldis lived for centuries. There are lovely views of the surrounding countryside. To the north-east of the village you will find the St-Roch windmill dating form the end of the XVIII th century and restored in 1990.

 
PORT GRIMAUD

Lake village. Change of scene. the charming houses with their own pier, the discovery of "Provencale Venice" with its bridges, its squares, arcades, its boats that glide in its canals in the midst of luxuriant vegetation. An absolute must.

 
COGOLIN

An art and craft village known for its carpets and pipes. Built at the foot of a hill surmounted by an old tower (The Clock Tower ) all that is left of old fortifications, and an old windmill in ruins. From the mairie, taking the central road, you get to the typically Provencale church square, with its nettle trees, its XI th c. Romanesque church, extended in the XVI th c.

 Visit: The carpet and fabric factories. Briar pipe, bamboo furniture, reed and workshops where they make articles from cork. Ceramists and workers in wrought iron.

 See: The remarkable architecture of the marinas of Marines de Cogolin and of Port Cogolin, at the seaside. The Raimu Museum is open everyday. Enquiries: 04 94 54 18 00.

 
GASSIN

8 Km from St-Tropez, a charming fortified village at 220m altitude. Very picturesque streets. Perched on a steep rock, the houses are squeezed together within XII th c. ramparts at a time when Saracen pirates used to plunder the countryside. Unique panorama over the gulf of St-Tropez. You will keep an unforgettable memory of it. There are numerous walks in the pine forests surrounding the village. TRY the route to the Moulins de Paillas, the highest point on the St Tropez peninsula from you would be able to see, in good weather, the Hyeres islands. The local wines are famous.

 
RAMATUELLE

A hillside village known for its fabulous beaches, its headlands and its summer festival. An old Saracen village built on the edge of a hill affording stupendous views of the famous bay of Pampelonne - 4.5Km of fine sand. Renowned wines. Gerard Philipe’s tomb.

 You should visit: Cap Camarat, the "place de l’Escalet", the coastal footpath.

 

SAINT-TROPEZ

 

The paradise of painters, which used to be a fishing village, Saint-Tropez draws a great number of visitors. It used to be a Greek colony and owes its name to the Chevalier Tropes, a favourite of Nero, whose tortured body thrown into a boat which ran aground on the shores of the gulf in the year 68A.D.

Saint-Tropez which was destroyed many times by the Saracens, attacked by Spanish men-of-war, has a very rich historic past.

 You should visit: The Citadel (XVIth-XVIIth c.) which is on the eastern side of the town. The Marine Museum is housed in its donjons.

 The Annonciade Museum famous for its modern paintings and sculptures.

 The "Bravade" celebrations on May 17^th.

 
THE VERDON GORGES

 

The higher Var offers tourists one of the most beautiful canyons in the world: the Verdon Gorges. The road that goes from Comps to Aiguines is full of giddy viewpoints: the Mescla balcony, the Cavaliers cliff, the Circus of Vaumale, etc. Look out for the Chateau d’Aiguines. You then reach the Saint-Croix lake a very large reservoir built by the EDF to feed the barrage bearing the same name, on the course of the Verdon river. Contained within wild hills, this stretch of water is many kilometres long. The village of Salles which was engulfed by the waters, was rebuilt on a plateau overlooking the lake. You should also visit the old villages of Saint-Croix and Bauden. The new road which runs alongside the shore allows you to discover wonderful viewpoints at every turn.

There are many walks, open air activities, and aquatic sports in the Gorges of Verdon.

You can enquire on the spot.

Further to the north, you should go to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a picturesque village, famous for its potteries covered by a beautiful milky white glaze linked to the so-called "Moustiers" blue.

 

SOMMAIRE