
Sainte-Maxime
Elegant and homely
Sainte-Maxime, backed by its marina, is a popular seaside resort, anchored to the Massif des Maures by a vast wooded area well beyond the surrounding hills. The Gulf’s most populous town cultivates a sense of welcome and is one of its liveliest.
Sea boat and sun: the endless sea…
If you’re coming from Les Issambres, you’ll find it hard to take your eyes off the immensity of the blue. The waves break on a steep coastline, before reaching the sand of La Nartelle, a beautiful beach popular with water sports enthusiasts and swimmers. At the far end, the Pointe des Sardinaux, an unspoilt natural area, turns towards its beacon in the sea, a renowned diving site. The three bends that follow symbolize the epinal image of the Côte d’Azur: superb umbrella pines balanced on the cornice. You reach the marina with its 800 boats, watched over by the church steeple; the downtown beach is just a stone’s throw away. Further along, the bridge and its bow-string arches, the yacht club and the attractions of the Croisette beach: to port, a carpet of soft pebbles, to starboard, long live the warm sand! And at the zenith, dive into the turquoise water…
To be experienced intensely all year round!
Sainte-Maxime is lively all year round, and if you love shopping, there’s no shortage of beautiful boutiques. There’s no shortage of beautiful boutiques! Are you an active person? All kinds of water sports are on offer, but you can also enjoy golf, tennis, hiking (mountain biking, horse riding), or a family outing to the Myrtes botanical garden. Do you like shows? We’re already planning the next one, at the Théâtre de la Mer or Carré Sainte-Maxime, the finest cultural venue in the Gulf. Passionate about architecture? Take one of the guided tours offered by the Tourist Office. Events? The mimosa parade, Fest’Italia, summer evenings, the Var rally, Maxime Geek Universe… A night out? The terraces of the new waterfront cafés welcome you with music and tasty restaurants are legion; before, perhaps, a jackpot at the Casino. Sainte-Maxime has it all!
Provence at its heart
Sainte-Maxime is fond of recalling its Provencal roots, and in May celebrates the votive festival and local folklore. We also honor Saint-Pierre, Saint-Jean and its famous olive…for Sainte-Maxime is home to the largest olive grove in the Var. A few drops of this fluid elixir combined with seafood or local produce, and the soul of Provence is revealed. The town’s sense of welcome is also part of this, and is involved in a number of quality initiatives, such as “Famille Plus”, which guarantees a personalized approach for children and their parents, the “Pavillon Bleu” for the quality of its bathing waters, and the “station classée de tourisme” label, which makes it easier for you to feel welcome. Last but not least, don’t leave the area without taking a tour of the Maures forest. Reach the Col du Gratteloup and take the picturesque road to Le Plan de la Tour… Another world exists, a blue-green-gold world. You’ll see, it’s wonderful!
A little background
Sainte-Maxime takes its name from a Provençal nun who lived in the 8th century. The saint is celebrated every year in May with a colorful bravade, the patron saint’s festival. Sainte-Maxime was deserted in the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, the monks of the Abbey of Thoronet, lord of the place, set up a repopulation plan by allocating 100 plots. But it wasn’t until the 18th century that Sainte-Maxime began to develop, with the construction of houses along the seafront: the embryo of today’s village and port. The construction of the railroad line between Toulon and Saint-Raphaël at the end of the 19th century led to economic and tourist development.