Who said that holidays in the Esterel Côte d'Azur were reserved for July and August? Holidays here are all year round! And they can be all the more enjoyable outside the summer months. Here are 5 good reasons to come to Fréjus and Saint-Raphaël out of season.
Esterel Côte d'Azur is known for being a wilder and more authentic destination than the Côte d'Azur in general. This authenticity is less visible at the height of the season, when all the holidaymakers are in the area at the same time. Out of season, you're totally immersed in the world of Esterel Côte d'Azur, living in the moment, enjoying the local culture and a warmer, less hurried atmosphere. You'll have time to discover each commune and its special features: Saint-Raphaël, Fréjus, Roquebrune-sur-Argens, Puget-sur-Argens and Les Adrets de l'Esterel.
Take the time to chat with the market traders, enjoy a unique experience on a walk with a local guide who will share his passion and unique anecdotes with you, play pétanque with the locals in the little squares, or simply go for a jog along the seafront like a real local!
Yes, the "dolce vita" is available all year round in the Côte d'Azur! Temperatures are milder and therefore more bearable.
Take advantage of the mild winter temperatures and the contrasting colours offered by the mimosa trails. In spring, you can enjoy walks or picnics in the open air in a pleasant climate. The still-warm temperatures of the Indian summer in autumn and the calm of the sea offer a moment of pure happiness and absolute disconnection.
You can do all the hikes without worrying about the opening of the mountain ranges, and there's no risk of getting too hot on your walks.
The incredible Esterel massif is a year-round favourite with locals, thanks to its wild nature, its surprising shades of colour and the sense of well-being it gives you when you go for a walk. Take advantage of it too, and relax and breathe.
Coming to Esterel Côte d'Azur out of season offers greater flexibility for your programme of activities. You don't have to plan everything in advance! Service providers and other tourism professionals are more relaxed, and there's less of a rush for everyone outside the peak tourist season. You have more choice when it comes to setting the date for your favourite activity or even dining in the restaurant you never managed to book last summer. At the height of the season, there's always room for jetskiing around Saint-Raphaël and Fréjus (which is not the case in the middle of August!). Everyone you meet has more time for you and sometimes you can even get a better price.
We all agree that photos of holiday landscapes are much prettier without people in them! Enjoy the panoramic views from the Esterel massif, listen to the sounds of nature and birdsong, and stroll through the markets without being hustled. It's a stress-free way to enjoy yourself, and it's good for you.
It's also much more pleasant on the roads because there are far fewer traffic jams and your journeys are smoother. The roads are less congested and the car parks aren't full in the first hour! The big plus: some car parks are completely free out of season, like the one on the main beach at Saint-Aygulf. At the height of the season, the beaches, creeks and calanques are almost empty, so you can really enjoy a moment out of time, with plenty of places to put your towel down on the sand.
Life is more pleasant when you live more slowly, isn't it?
Would you like to be more sustainable when you travel, but don't know how to go about it? If you travel out of season, you already do! Coming to Esterel Côte d'Azur outside the summer months, when the beaches and seafronts of Saint-Raphaël and Fréjus are crowded, is a good start towards your eco-responsibility.
If there are fewer people in the region at the height of the season, there is also less rubbish and the air is less polluted, and nature will thank you for it.
Thanks to you, local shopkeepers and other tourism professionals are able to operate all year round, and you're helping to boost the local economy. You're helping Esterel Côte d'Azur to be a thriving tourist destination.
To go even further, try 100% electric activities, use the train rather than the car, or visit different places that are a little further away and therefore less popular.
We hope we've convinced you to come to Esterel Côte d'Azur out of season!
If you haven't yet and you don't know the region, discover Esterel Côte d'Azur on video and let yourself be tempted to create your next holiday memories.
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The Pays de Fayence (Fayence district) has many great provencal villages. All of them have a particularity such as the view from Mons or the artistic streets of Tourrettes. Do no forget to stop in Seillans that has the label of "Most beautiful village in France"
North of the A8 motorway, you will find the Pays de Fayence. Saint-Cassien lake, a real oasis of freshness in the Var, awaits you! Take a break at the Lake House before visiting the villages of Bagnols-en-Forêt, St-Paul-en-Forêt or Tanneron.
The city of Roquebrune-sur-Argens is the most westerly of the destination. It includes three districts: La Bouverie, at the foot of Gorges du Blavet; The village, overlooked by its magnificent rock, and Les Issambres, with its nautical activities by the sea.
Les Adrets de l'Estérel is a small town located at the extreme southeastern Var. Bordering the Maritimes Alpes, it is composed of large green forests. The town overlooks the bay of Cannes and has an exceptional view on the Lérins Islands and the Corniche de l'Estérel.
Puget sur Argens is a small village located in the middle of many wineries. Its commercial area, near the village, includes many shopping center. North of the village, the Bois du Defens give rise to several walks.
Welcome to Les Issambres, the district of Roquebrune-sur-Argens located on the coast. True paradise with its 8 km of beaches and creeks, this family seaside resort, already frequented at the time by the Romans, is located between the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and Fréjus-Saint Raphaël.
Frejus, located halfway between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, is at the heart of the Côte d'Azur. Based on a sandstone buttress of the Esterel massif, the town dominates the valleys of Argens and Reyran. Frejus has the appearance of a small Provencal town whose new districts extend to the sea.
65km from Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport, Saint-Raphaël is located between Cannes and Saint-Tropez. This seaside resort on the Mediterranean coast is at the bottom of the great Esterel mountains. Saint Raphael, whose city center is by the sea, is divided into different neighborhoods that have all their characteristics and their personalities.
