What makes this town special?
The small 19th century fishing village gradually transformed into an upscale Belle Époque seaside resort with the arrival of the railway, and hosted a large number of celebrities, including John Fitzgerald, Marcel Aymé or the future Queen Elizabeth II. From this period, the town has preserved its Promenade des Bains on the seafront, its sumptuous Palladian-style villas, its Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire-de-Lépante basilica and its casino.
Places not to be missed on holiday in Saint-Raphaël, France
Today Saint-Raphaël has five marinas, 24 kilometers of coastline, and offers a multitude of coves, creeks and beaches between the Estérel massif and the Mediterranean. Something to delight all lovers of the sea. For walkers, the coastal path from the port of Santa-Lucia to the beach of Pourrousset offers a four-hour hike that is worth the detour! With Sanary-sur-Mer, Saint-Raphaël was a pioneer for diving. You can therefore find many spots, to choose according to your level.
A walk in the old town will allow you to discover a small typical Provencal flower and vegetable market. Do not miss the Archaeological Museum, installed in the former presbytery of the Sant-Rafèu church, which presents all the archaeological discoveries of the region and offers very interesting digital tours for young and old.
The Louis-de-Funès museum, the only museum in France entirely devoted to the artist and the man, retraces the life and work of the actor, with the help of a hundred objects.
Opposite the casino, the Bonaparte garden invites you to take a contemplative break facing the sea. This public park offers an incredible view of the bay and the old port. It is good to walk in the alleys of this pleasant landscaped park planted with palm trees and Mediterranean essences. Children can let off steam in the playgrounds designed for them.
Finally, Saint-Raphaël offers many events, including the very famous Jazz Festival, at the beginning of July, a meeting eagerly awaited by fans every year!
Places to visit on vacation from Saint-Raphaël, France
A trip by car is a must, on the Corniche d'Or! Between Saint-Raphaël and Cannes, this road, which offers spectacular panoramas, was inaugurated in 1903 at the instigation of the Touring Club de France. It is bordered by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, which contrast with the red rock of the Estérel massif. A real pleasure for the eyes over 40 kilometres!
The Estérel massif offers 45 kilometers of hiking trails and more than 100 kilometers of circuits for mountain biking and horse riding. You can also practice climbing surrounded by sumptuous landscapes. So it's the perfect time to get moving, get your fill of nature in an environment of rare beauty, and above all, get some oxygen!
It would be a shame not to visit Fréjus, city of art and history, with its cathedral and its cloister, its theater and its amphitheatre, and its circuit of crafts in the old centre.
The medieval village of Roquebrune-sur-Argens, 15 kilometers away, is also worth a visit, with its church, its tower and its ramparts, its sundial and its surrounding paths... Not forgetting its chocolate museum: the Maison du Chocolat et Cacao ! Nestled in an old 17th century chapel , this unusual space exhibits objects related to cocoa, from its origins to the present day. A visit to discover with the family!
What is our favourite thing about Saint-Raphaël?
Our favourite thing about Saint-Raphaël is the Corniche de l'Estérel on a quiet morning - the road cutting through the red rock above the sea, the cliffs dropping to water that is a particular shade of green in the coves. It is a drive that produces genuine awe without requiring any particular effort, and the beach clubs along it sit in settings that make the more formally appointed clubs of the main resorts seem slightly beside the point.
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Getting to Saint-Raphaël
From Cannes through the Estérel
From Cannes, the approach via the Corniche de l'Estérel - the old coastal road rather than the autoroute - takes around forty-five minutes and passes through some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the Riviera. The red porphyry cliffs, the coves at Agay and the descent into Saint-Raphaël along the seafront make this one of the more memorable road journeys on the coast. Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is around an hour by road.
From the Var along the gulf
From the Saint-Tropez direction, the approach from the east runs along the gulf coast through Sainte-Maxime and then north around the head of the gulf before dropping back to the coast at Fréjus and Saint-Raphaël. The train from Marseille stops at Saint-Raphaël - a journey of around an hour and forty minutes - and the station is centrally located on the seafront.
Interesting information about Saint-Raphaël
History and architecture
Saint-Raphaël's modern history as a resort dates from the second half of the nineteenth century, when the composer Gounod wintered here and publicised its attractions. Napoleon's arrivals and departures - from Egypt in 1799 and for Elba in 1814 - gave the town a historical footnote of considerable weight. Fréjus adjacent is the site of Forum Julii, a Roman colony and naval base founded by Julius Caesar in 49 BC.
Cultural attractions
eThe Musée d'Archéologie in the Templars' church covers the local Roman and medieval heritage. Fréjus's Roman monuments - the amphitheatre, the arena, the episcopal city - are among the most complete in France. The covered market is a daily cultural institution. The Estérel massif, accessible from the town, hosts land art installations along some of its trails.
Natural beauty
The Estérel massif is the defining natural landscape - volcanic porphyry rock with a coastal path network, sea views and clear swimming coves. The Corniche de l'Estérel passes through a landscape of genuine geological drama. The beaches east of the town, towards Fréjus and the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, are sandy and well-maintained. The Massif des Maures is accessible to the south and east.
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Saint-Raphaël: our types of villas
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