The Var

Villa Frida is situated in the Var region of France, 8 km from Saint Tropez.  The house is ideally placed to provide you with not only a welcoming place to stay and return to each day, but also an ideal base from which to explore all this wonderful part of the South of France and its great climate has to offer.  Dotted all around the area are vineyards producing the renowned provencal rose, but also delicious white and red wines, ranging from the splendour of Chateau Minuty worth visiting for its imposing shop and architecture to the smaller domaines. These are atmospheric places to visit, infused with the deep smell of the wine process, so you get a real feel for how the wine is made.  It is always a lovely experience to visit one of these small domaines, taste their wines and often learn so much more about the area in doing so.

Saint Tropez needs no introduction and is less than 15 minutes by car (unless the traffic is exceptionally heavy as it can be in high season or on market days when it takes a little longer), and there are so many different ways you can experience its unique atmosphere.  For example, try an early morning stroll along the harbour and have breakfast at the legendary Senequier, taking in the atmosphere before everyone else arrives en masse (truly magical), or some people watching there with a glass of rose as the sun goes down in the background. The twice weekly market,(Tuesdays and Saturdays), is definitely worth a visit, the earlier the better as it is so popular and for good reason.  Have a cup of coffee at Le Sporting in Place des Lices to fortify you before you start! St Tropez really is a still a fascinating place and has retained the air of the fishing village it once was, with its uneven pastel buildings and charming narrow streets.  There is always something catch your eye, from admiring the amazing  boats along the front or at the other end of the scale, catching a glimpse of locals playing chess by the water.

Pampelonne beach: (20 minutes by car from the house) This famous stretch of beach lies west of Saint Tropez, with beautiful beach restaurants for all tastes.  At the heart lies Club 55, with its classic provencal setting and trademark blue and white interiors but there are many more including Nikki Beach, Moorea and at the far end La Cabane Bambou which is a wonderful blend of relaxed beach style and stylish people!

Some places to visit within easy reach of Villa Frida:

La Croix Valmer is the nearest town, under 10 mins by car and brilliant to use for everyday food shopping, eating out in the evening, or why not book in to the stylish wine bar, La Grange, for its weekly live jazz music and tapas on a Friday, even in the winter, or visit the hugely popular Sunday market. It is a great place to pop into for all these things and many more, a great little town. The beaches are about 5-10 mins away, the best known and largest of these is Gigaro, especially perfect for families and which has a great choice of restaurants and sunbeds.  My favourite is the little beach next door, Heraclee Plage, which has a welcoming beach restaurant with sunbeds and low tables to sit and admire the views.

Gassin: (under 10 minutes by car), this hilltop village is just visible from the house, and has tiny streets, a beautiful old church, and truly amazing views both towards St Tropez from the restaurants and looking towards Cavalaire-sur-Mer, from the other side. This terrace of restaurants is a pretty special place for lunch or dinner from Easter to the end of September usually.

Ramatuelle: Another beautiful hilltop village (10 mins by car) with a lovely Thursday market, a maze of tiny streets and shops you can wander round before choosing one of the little restaurants dotted around for dinner or lunch.  Wonderful views down to the sea and Pampelonne from some of them.

Grimaud: Another picture perfect hilltop village! really beautiful, with a small but stylish Thursday market, lovely shops, cafes and restaurants, great for a wander, enjoy the atmosphere and the view.

It is lovely to visit on a sunny morning for coffee and a wander round the shops or market or an evening visit for either drinks or dinner, the atmosphere is lively, buzzy and fun.

Cavalaire sur Mer: 20 minutes by car, some nice shops, restaurants and beaches, you can walk here from Debarquement Plage, just outside La Croix Valmer.  This takes about 30 minutes (there) on a long sandy beach, it is a great walk there and back.  

Debarquement plage (15 mins), has some really nice restaurants and bars, very relaxed atmosphere, it is easy to visit, park and just pop to for an evening stroll and a drink.

Port Grimaud: not to be left out, this is under 10 minutes, buzzy and busy, the ‘Little Venice’ of the area. This is lovely for a walk round or even a little trip out on the boats (departing regularly throughout the season to admire all the amazing, charming waterside properties.  There is a wide range of restaurants from basic to higher end, my favourites are hidden just round the corner on the water front.

Other things to do nearby:

St Tropez Polo: is situated within 5 minutes of the house.  This is a quite something to behold, recently expanded, it is such an impressive club, cleverly hidden in the umbrella pines with a restaurant and usually free access to watch matches when a tournament is on. If you love polo, you are in the right place!

Walks

There are many walks in the area, here are just a few:

One of my favourite walks is from the house itself. Just head up the hill through the woods.  At the top there are vineyards and you have wonderful views towards Grimaud and down to the sea.  There is even a nice hotel if you turn right at the top and walk for about 10-15 minutes nestling amongst the umbrella pines. There are so many paths through the woods, some small and narrow but many are wider, meaning you can do endless different walks right on your doorstep.

Cap Lardier: Walk from Gigaro Beach on a coastal path with breathtaking views — I usually just do about half an hour to admire the tiny coves and then retrace, but you can do the big walk which required more planning and is a 5 mile round trip to Cap Lardier.

Cap Taillat: this walk is from L’Escalet Plage, near Ramatuelle and again, is a coastal path, a lovely natural walk with great views, about 30 minutes, an hour in all, lovely natural quite wild landscapes and views, you would never know how near to St Tropez you were.

Golf

Not to be left out, you have many choices, but the nearest is at Gassin Golf Country Club, only 5 minutes by car.