Saint Raphaël and Fréjus

On this page	Location and access	Sites and attractions
	In the area	Hotels and accommodation  ►

Lying in the middle of the French Riviera coast, at the eastern end of the Var department, the two towns of Saint-Raphaël and Fréjus make up one of the most popular seaside resorts on the French Riviera. In the middle of a coastline made up of beaches, coves and creeks, Saint Raphael and Fréjus stand at the point  where the Esterel hills reach the sea. With its Mediterranean climate and over 130km2 of national forest, the area attracts hiking and cycling enthusiasts all year round.
   Fréjus is a popular resort which has a history that goes back over 2000 years, and the town is famed for its Roman heritage. Its more up-market neighbour Saint-Raphaël became a seaside resort in the second half of the 19th century when the Saint-Raphaël Valescure station was built in the town centre. Many writers, including Victor Hugo, have lived or stayed in Saint-Raphaël.
   On August 15, 1944, part of the Allied landing took place on the beach in front of the Golden Island. In total, nearly 900 boats and 450,000 men landed between Cavalaire and Saint Raphael, before pushing northwards to liberate France.

Saint-Raphaël and its districts

The Saint-Raphaël commune (municipality) stretches for 24 km along the Mediterranean coast, between the Esterel hills and the sea, making it the second most extensive coastal commune on the Mediterranean after Marseilles.  Like many seaside resorts, it is made up of a number of districts that were, in the past, separate locations. On account of the terrain, most of the coastal development to the east of the central area is squeezed in between the hills and the sea.
 

Anthéor le Trayas:

At the eastern end of Saint Raphaël, where the Esterel hills meet the Mediterranean, the district of Anthéor le Trayas offers magnificent wild landscapes with a succession of creeks of red rocks and hidden beaches. Most of the houses here look out over the sea. The famous Corniche d'Or road leads along the coast, offering spectacular coastal views.

Agay:

Between Anthéor and Cape Dramont, Agay is a district appreciated for its three fine sandy beaches and the summit of Rastel from where one can look out over the whole bay. Agay is a natural gateway to the Esterel massif giving access to superb hiking and mountain bike trails. Some famous French writers, including Maupassant and St-Exupéry, once lived in Agay,

Cape Dramont:

Cape Dramont is one of the most visited areas of Saint Raphael thanks to the Ile D'or and its large beach where the allies landed on August 15, 1944. Very popular with hikers, the walks to Cap Dramont offer richly coloured Mediterranean landscapes.

Saint Raphaël's Veillat beach

The town centre:

Between the railway station and the sea, the old town centre offers plenty of opportunity for shopping and eating out in restaurants by the sea. Notre Dame de la Victoire basilica, built in 1882, stands close to the prehistory museum with its remarkable display of remains discovered during underwater excavations. Another museum devoted to French comedian Louis De Funès museum has more than 350 of the actor's personal documents. On the sea front the Promenade des Bains and Veillat beach offer spectacular views out over the bay.

Valescure:

Lying inland from the coast, Valescure, known as "the golf district" is a quiet leafy residential area,with many elegant villas, prestigious hotels and well-kept gardens. Golfing enthusiasts appreciate the two 18-hole courses, one dating from the early twentieth century, and a 9-hole beginners' course for the less experienced.

Tourist sites and activities

Like all seaside resorts, Saint-Raphaël and Fréjus offer many water activities such as jet skiing, kitesurfing, parasailing, excursions, boat cruises and scuba diving. You can also play golf, tennis or take hikes such as the coastal path or mountain bike rides. For admirers of Belle Epoque villas, there are two discovery walks, one in the Notre-Dame district, the other in Valescure.

Fréjus: Roman remains

Fréjus has a number of Roman remains, the most impressive of which are the Amphitheatre and the aqueduct. While not equal to those in Arles or Nimes, the Roman amphitheatre in Fréjus remains an impressive Roman site

Fréjus: cathedral

The cathedral in Fréjus is one of the earliest churches in France. Its baptistry dates back to the 5th century, and a large part of the cathedral - which is actually two conjoined churches, dates from the 13th century, with romanesque and gothic features. The beautiful medieval cloisters date from the same period.

Fréjus: Chapelle Notre Dame de Jérusalem

Though the name may sound medieval, this is a chapel designed and decorated by the French artist and writer Jean Cocteau in 1963, the year of his death. Cocteau is often seen as the leading figure in the development of French art in the first half of the 20th century.

Fréjus: the archaeological museum

This museum displays many of the historic Roman artefacts and mosaics that were idscovered in and around Fréjus in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Saint Raphaël - Notre Dame Basilica:

The Notre Dame de la Victoire basilica built in the 19th century, located in the city center is the most emblematic monument of Saint Raphael. It is built in the local pink Estérel sandstone and is easily recognizable thanks to its huge dome and the superb golden statue of the Archangel Raphael, symbol of the town, which proudly adorns the top of the dome.

Saint-Raphaël : The Museum of Prehistoric and Underwater Archaeology:

The archaeological museum offers you a journey through time. Discover prehistoric relics, Roman shipwrecks and the secrets of the medieval church.

Saint-Raphaël : the Louis de Funès Museum:

Almost half a century after his death, Louis de Funès remains one of France's iconic actors, and his films are still as popular today as ever. Visit this fabulous museum with the family and discover the world of the actor as well as many documents such as personal photographs of filming and sequences of films that were never released.

Saint-Raphaël : Golden Island:

This privately owned island was the location for many sumptuous receptions during the Roaring Twenties. Located opposite the beach of Cap du Dramont, this rocky island with its large tower, is said to have been the inspiration for "L'ile Noir", one of the most popular Tintin albums.

Saint Raphaël beaches and coastal path :

Between coves and fine sandy beaches such as Camp Long beach, this former customs officers trail from Port Santa Lucia to Agay is one of the great Mediterranean coastal hikes. The hike takes about 2h30.

The Esterel hills:

The Massif de l'Esterel is a range of hills that meets the Mediterranean coast at San Raphaël . Its highest peak is Mont vinaigre,  618 metres, located within the boundaries of the commune of Fréjus. This is classic Mediterranean terrain, dry, rocky and partly covered with Mediterranean pine forest. The Esterel has many kilometres of marked hiking and cycling trails.

Cap Roux, Anthéor, and the Esterel hills

• Saint Tropez (39 km)  This iconic Riviera resort, home to filmstars and the international jet set
• Cannes  (41 km)  With its racecourse and world-famous cinema festival, Cannes is one of the most famous towns on the French Riviera. The town can be reached by car or by train from Saint-Raphaël.
• Nice  (66 km) The Capital of the French Riviera, Nice is one of the great tourist cities of France. Of particular note are its Chagall Museum, its Matisse Museum, the historic old town, the famous flower market, and of course the beach, the Promenade des Anglais.  See Nice.
• Grasse.  The perfume capital of France

•  By air   The nearest airport is Nice, which is one of the best internationally-connected airports in France, with flights to/from places throughout Europe and beyond
• By train  There are direct daily TGV high-speed train services to Saint Raphaël from Paris Gare de Lyon,  from Lyon or from Marseilles. Trains from Paris take about 5 hours.  There is a daily direct TGV service from Strasbourg, and connecting services from all over France via Marseilles.
• By car  Saint-Raphaël is a short distance from the A8  (Paris-) Marseilles - Nice motorway. It can be easily reached by motorway from Italy or Monaco.