Maison Beaubois is a semi-detached home which enjoys a lovely hillside position surrounded by neighbouring houses just outside the charming village of La Garde-Freinet. It is a wonderful, natural area with plenty to entertain including tennis in the village, hiking, golf at Beauvallon, sailing, surfing, water skiing, horse riding and cycling all available nearby. There are also some fabulous polo matches to watch.
La Garde-Freinet has an excellent range of shops, bars and restaurants. The village dates back to the 8th century and you can still see the ruins. The big cross erected on the hilltop slope is a famous landmark and offers fantastic views. The village enjoyed its golden age in the late 19th century when cork production was the main industry. During the later part of the 20th century, the village became a popular watering hole for international celebrities.
There are plenty of excellent beaches within easy reach including the beautiful Pampelonne Beach, and Saint-Tropez’ three beaches: La Glaye, La Ponche and La Fontanette in the oldest part of Saint-Tropez.
Proud of its well-preserved heritage, Grimaud is a maze of pretty cobblestone streets adorned with colourful flowers. There are many restored period homes, village squares and archways. Its castle was built in the 11th century and some ruins remain, offering wonderful views of the coast and the wooded forests of the Maures Massif. The Church of St Michael dates back to the 12th century. There is a lovely walk that starts at the Saint Roch mill and goes to the Fairy Bridge, delighting hikers, or you can take a parasailing trip to enjoy the dramatic Les Maures mountain range and the Esterel red rocks.
A little further north, across the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime is a fabulous place with over 11km of fine sandy beaches and crystal clear, turquoise waters where you can try your hand at water skiing, jet skiing, paddle boards, fly boards and some inflatables. The historical town centre offers a warren of cobbled lanes lined with unique shops, monuments and fantastic gastro restaurants. You will discover a lively square where you can enjoy supper under plane trees, enjoying the warm and welcoming ambience that Sainte-Maxime is so proud of. There are some wonderful festivals and events including the Sainte-Maxime Free Flight World Masters, the Var Rally, the Mimosa Floral Parade and Christmas and New Year festivities.
Saint-Tropez came to fame in the 1950s with Brigitte Bardot starring in the 1956 ‘And God Created Woman’. Overnight, Saint-Tropez became a sizzling jet-set playground though in low season the town still enjoys its mesmerising quaint beauty. Visitors can meander its cobbled lanes in the old fishing quarter of La Ponche, sip pastis in charming cafes, watch locals playing pétanque and walk slowly along the coastal paths.
Saint-Tropez is a shopper’s paradise, packed with trendy boutiques. The streets around Rue Gambetta and Rue Allard are sprinkled with shoe shops, chocolate shops, boutiques, antique emporiums and art galleries. If you visit on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, you will be treated to wonderful open-air stalls at Place des Lices where you can stock up on freshly baked bread and delicious local produce. Fine wine is big in Saint-Tropez.
In Gassin, one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’, Chateau Barbeyrolles is one of the best vineyards in the village. Red and white wines have been added to their delicious rose wines and visitors can taste and buy wines every day except Sundays.
La Croix-Valmer, in the heart of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, is a jewel of nature nestled in the national park, an area known for its walking, cycling and mountain bike paths, its scenic landscapes, amazing fauna and flora, breathtaking views, lively Sunday market and its surrounding vineyards.
The Region
Once a traditional fishing village, Saint-Tropez is now one of the most glamourous destinations of the Côte d’Azur and welcomes visitors from across the world.
However, there’s more to Saint-Tropez bay than exclusive beach clubs, glitzy boutiques and fine dining restaurants. From the family-friendly beaches of Sainte-Maxime to the vineyards of La Croix Valmer, Oliver’s Travels guests can truly admire this enchanting corner of the French Riviera whilst staying in one of our handpicked villas in and around Saint-Tropez.
Soak up the luxurious yet laidback vibe of Saint-Tropez as you wander around its marina lined with huge yachts contrasting colourful fishermen’s houses overlooking the bay. The old quarter is a warren of winding lanes with French designer boutiques, picturesque cafes and restaurants whilst Place des Lices hosts a vibrant Provençal market on a Tuesday and Saturday morning. Enjoy the most glorious vistas from Saint-Tropez’s 17th century citadel and maritime museum. Boat trips are another superb way to tour this part of the coast and passenger ferries cross the bay.
Just south of the town, follow Brigitte Bardot’s footsteps as you visit one of Plage de Pampelonne’s exclusive beach clubs, the most famous being Le Club 55 (always book well in advance). Stretching over 5km, Pampelonne’s long sandy beach is also loved for its vast range of summer watersports including jet-skiing, windsurfing and paddleboarding.
The picture-perfect villages of Saint-Tropez bay are beautifully located to make the most of the French Riviera scenery. On the hillside overlooking Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle has attracted artists and writers over the years and is full of charm – look out for performances during its theatre and jazz festivals in the summer months. Meanwhile, hilltop Gassin is classified as one of France’s 'Plus Beaux Villages’ whilst flower-filled Grimaud is such a pretty medieval village with yet more stunning views of the coast.
Driving into the Maures hills, discover the characterful villages of La Garde-Freinet and Le Plan-de-la-Tour surrounded by oak and chestnut forests, a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, horse-riding enthusiasts and other outdoor adventurists.
Back to the coast, take a boat tour of Port Grimaud, known as the ‘little Venice of the Côte d’Azur’, and experience its atmospheric Monday evening summer market. Across the other side of the bay, Sainte-Maxime is a lovely sheltered seaside town with pretty cafes, a daily market and gorgeous beaches. Families adore this area – there are tree-top adventures, tennis, mini-golf, a water park and coastal paths for biking and hiking.
Golf-lovers can appreciate a choice of courses – Golf Blue Green as well as the prestigious Beauvallon Golf Club and Golf Club Saint-Tropez. Wine connoisseurs should head to the wine châteaux of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne as well as the vineyards of La Croix Valmer.
Not forgetting the idyllic shores of soft sand and crystal-clear sea of La Croix Valmer’s coastline from Plage de Sylvabelle to Plage de Gigaro, also home to a wonderful coastal walking trail with the most incredible flora and fauna alongside sensational views of the Mediterranean as you hike towards Cap Lardier and beyond.
