Protected areas

Ponds of Villepey

The ponds of Villepey are the result of the meeting of sea and fresh water. This specificity makes this area exceptional on many levels. Shaped over the years by man who used the ponds for the extraction of sand, the area is now protected and has an exceptional natural heritage.

A protected natural space

In order to preserve the ponds of Villepey, the town of Fréjus has set up a strict regulation which it is necessary to respect :

It is the coastal conservatory which, between 1982 and 1997, acquired the ponds of Villepey for the environmental quality of the area. Subsequently, they were requalified as a Z.N.I.E.F. (Zone naturelle d'intérêt écologique, faunistique et floristique) and entered the NATURA 2000 zone of the Mouths of the Argens.

In 2008 the ponds are registered in the international convention of RAMSAR which gives the protection of the zone a world dimension.

Wildlife : a bird's paradise

What best characterizes the ponds of Villepey are its birds, with more than 270 species counted on the territory ! The setting is ideal for biodiversity, with its various resting, feeding and breeding areas for sedentary and migratory animals, and the ponds of Villepey also allow you to observe a more discreet fauna : reptiles, amphibians, fish, small mammals...

Photo ©Fréjus Tourisme

The flora

As the real builder of the ponds, the flora plays a predominant role in the biological balance of the area. The roots of the vegetation fix the sand of the dune while the plants act as a barrier to the wind.

Discover the ponds of Villepey

The ponds of Villepey have been developed so that the public can make the most of this unique heritage. Observatories and footbridges have been set up so that you can admire the wildlife without disturbing it. The ponds are made up of two main parts :

The beaches of Saint-Aygulf and the Esclamandes area to the east of the RD98, Water bodies that can be visited via a footpath, in the extension of the customs officers' path.

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Photo ©Pascal Borsotto

Our advice - World Wetlands Days

Find animations, guided tours and workshops related to the ponds of Villepey. Event organized in February by Ramsar

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Intagram: Share your photos #Visitesterel !

Post your most beautiful photos with the hashtag #VisitEsterel and follow our account @esterelcotedazur to be reposted !

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