Côte d'Azur - quick round along the coast

Hyères:

Our trip along the Côte d'Azur we started in Toulon, then we were travelling each day more to the East. First stop on the map was the city of Hyeres. The old town is very small and it's surrounded by huge modern suburbs. From the old town the path goes to the old castle ruins. In the old city you can also find a lot of botanic gardens which were set there by Templars. 

On the souf of Hyeres on the peninsula in the swampy area you can find flamings. They are there in the end of the summer - August, September. Unfortunately we were not lucky enough to see them.

Bormes-les-Mimosas:

It's a small city famous from its flowers and plants, which are almost everywhere in the narrow alleys. On Wednesdays morning (before siesta time - till 1 p.m.) there is market on the street where people sells theirs home-made goods. You can buy there original, regional food, which we really recommend. 

The tourists information office is also closed in siesta time - 0:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Grimaud:

Another small 'pearl' on the Côte d'Azur. It's a completely not touristic place, because is not directly on the cost. There you can see real old style french architecture, and also on the top of the hill you can enter the castle ruins as in Hyeres. The enrtance is free. From the top extends a stunning view on the Saint-Tropez bay.

Saint-Tropez:

Finally we arrived to the famous St. Tropez! The great expectations was quickly transformed to huge disappointment. Two kilometers before the city huge traffic started and it waits till the city center parkings. Furthermore there was no information about the empty or busy places, so after entering the parking you could spend half an hour for looking for a place and in the end you'd have to pay for whole time spend on the parking. That why we recommend to leave the car outside the city and go there by foot, because as all towns in that region St. Tropez is also very small.

Not only the traffic made us disappointed. When you enter the city center there is only port and several narrow alleys, nothing more. Furthermore the famous police office was closed due to renovation. After a 30 minutes walk you can tell thet you know whole St. Tropez.

The people from all of these cars also walk through this narrow alleys which makes this walk annoying. Not telling about finding a place in restaurants for a dinner. On the other hand the prices are much higher than anywhere else.

If you somehow choose St. Tropez as the destination place you should climb the hill with the fort behind the city. From its top you would see a beautiful panorama of whole St. Tropez bay. 

 

Fréjus:

For us this city was a big surprise. We didn't think that there can be such old monuments. In the old town as well as in the suburbs you can find there heritage of ancient Romans from 2nd century. It's also a good place for dinner in most restaurants in the city center you can eat nice meal for 10 euro per person, which is much cheaper than in Saint-Tropez. All old constructions are built from the brown-red stones very common in Massif de l'Esterel.

Gate and the wall to the old city (2nd century)

Cathedral and the baptisterium 10th century

On the suburbs you can find the significant parts of the aqueduct built by ancient Romans.  

Cannes:

In Cannes the life in focused on the Palm Beach and hotels and casinos placed nearby. There is not much to sightseeing. It's a perfect place for lazy people who just want to be on the beach or in the hotel. For us it was enough for one evening. We'd be bored while spending there more time, but still it's a worth place of visiting it.  

Two more for my collection: