Paris

Nationale 98, that’s the coastal road we continue now, leaving Fréjus. The first resort we pass is SAINT-AYGULF, where the houses between the parasol pines are fiercely pointing to the see. The rocky coast is abruptly interrupted by the Argens valley and you arrive at the first offshoot of the Massif des Maures. The landscape is much less impressive now than during the passage of the Esterel cornice. But the landscape in Saint-Aygulf is green, has a safe 3 km wide sandy beach with a nice view on Les Issambres and the Frejus gulf.
Next is LES ISSAMBRES. Set up as a resort in 1930 it forms with Val d’Esquieres, San Pière and Les Calanques an attractive, exclusively aimed at the tourists, part of the Cote des Maures. It’s nice to see how they succeeded to integrate Provencal villas in this rocky subtropical landscape.

Port Sainte-Maxime

We arrive now in not very exciting SAINTE-MAXIME, restructured by the Catalan architect, Ricardo Bofill, a bathing resort of 10,000 citizens, just at the opposite side of the golfe de Saint-Tropez. It has a palms boulevard and a long stretched park along the seaside. Of course with the traditional yacht harbour and beaches. Old city is located in the southern part where an 18th century church has a marble altar.
Now we are on our way to Saint-Tropez! Beauvallon, nothing special but here is PORT-GRIMAUD.
Work of the Alsace born architect François Spoerry it was constructed in one and only building period between 1966 and 1970. It is simply a genuine and complete Provencal pseudo-village (built on the spot where the Greeks built Athenopolis 2000 years ago) with 2,200 small houses on a 71 ha surface, divided between a few islands connected by small bridges. Between these islands water runs through 6,5 km of canals, which means also 13 km in the back gardens, where every owner has a pier for his capital yacht. Some call it a Provencal Venice. Cafes and terraces are packed during the high season and cars are not allowed.
Port-Grimaud is NO kitsch like many (and myself for long years) pictured, but reality so enchanting that we have to admire the architect who recreated everything he ever experienced in Provence in his own playful manner. Every house designed by Spoerry is different from its neighbour and it is very agreeable to notice that while you are walking around. Terracotta tiled roofs, wonderful ochre and cream painted facades that characterizes so many Provencal villages. It is really an impressive achievement and in many places extremely pretty.
The biggest miracle in this so realistic counterfeit village, where shops open now also on lunch time, is the Provencal Romanising, but still authentic modern church with stained windows of Vasarely. On Sundays they have first a Catholic then a Protestant service and the interior is simply impressive.
Port-Grimaud exists now more than 30 years. Visible marks add to the authenticity impression. And foreigners often think that it is a totally restored old fisher village. But all I ever saw very ugly in Port-Grimaud were some boats;-)

Footbridges between houses

Now up to the old village of GRIMAUD along the D 14 and the D 558.

Bibliography:

Mary Blume, "Cote d'Azur. Inventing the French Riviera" (Thames and Hudson, London 1982), Stephen Liégeard, “La Cote d’Azur” (Ed.Serre, Nice 1988 a reprint), Theodore Zeldin, « How the French live today », Patrick Howarth, « When the Riviera was ours », Ronald Hamilton, « A holiday history of France ».

From Nice to Saint-Tropez (suite)

Cap d'Antibes

Juan les
Pins-Golfe-Juan-Vallauris

Cannes

Iles de Lerins

La Napoule and Henry Clews

Esterel cornice to Frejus

Frejus

Sainte Maxime to Port Grimaud

Old Grimaud and Cogolin

Saint-Tropez

From Saint Tropez to Cassis

Ramatuelle-Gassin-Croix Valmer-Cavalaire sur mer

Le Lavandou-Bormes les Mimosas