Page 242 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

240 BACK ROADS FRANCE

Vineyards of Provence

With a varied topography that could easily be
considered France’s finest, Provence boasts golden
beaches, valleys and the fjord-like Calanques. This
driving tour makes its way slowly along the region’s
prettiest roads, from the glitzy bling of Saint-Tropez
to the rugged beauty of Cassis’s towering Calanques,
passing resort towns that saw their heyday in the
1920s and verdant countryside full of vineyards.
Vines thrive and grapes ripen slowly in the nurturing
Mediterranean climate – it is sunny most of the year,
sea breezes keep the air fresh and what little rainfall
there is makes for intense flavours. Above Exterior of La Citadelle, Saint-Tropez, see p242

Lascours Signal de la Mazaugues
Cr x de Plan-d'Aups- Ste Baume Garéoult Forcalqueiret
Garlaban Ste-Baume 1,147 m
712 m M assif de la Sainte Baume Le Mourre d’Adnis Carnoules
Allauch 915 m Néoules La Foux
Méounes-
La Valentine Eoures Gémenos Riboux Latay Signes lès-Montrieux Pilon St- Puget-Ville
Clement
Aubagne 705 m La Ruol
Col de Cuges-les-Pins
l’Ange
BOUCHES-DU-RHÔNE Le Camp Belgentier
Roquefort- Plate a u de Siou Blanc Valcros Pierrefeu-
la-Bédoule Roquefort Ste-Anne-du- Rocher Gapeau
Mt Carpiagne Castellet de l’Ailgle du-Var
645 m
Les Julots LE CASTELLET 605 m Solliès-
Ceyreste Grand Cap Toucas VAR
CASSIS 783 m
LA CADIÈRE D'AZUR Le Beausset Valaury Solliès-Pont Sauvebonne
Cap Domaine Tempier Le Revest-
Canaille Château Le-Plan-du-Castellet les-Eaux La Farlède Les Borrels
Les Lecques St-Cyr-
La Ciotat sur-Mer de Pibarnon Évenos Le C oudon
La Crau
La Valette-du-Var
Bandol HYÈRES
La Garde
La
Île de Bendor Toulon Moutonne Toulon-
SANARY-SUR-MER Le Pradet Hyères
La Seyne-sur-Mer
Six-Fours St-Mandrier- Hyères-Plage
Îles des les-Plages Les sur-Mer Étang de
Embiez Sablettes Pesquiers
Presqu’île de
St-Mandrier La Madrague
Cap Sicié
Presqu’Île Giens
de Giens La Tour
ACTIVITIES Fondue
Kick back with a glass of wine or a cocktail and spot 0 kilometres 8
celebrities at a swanky beach club on Plage de Pampelonne
0 miles 8
Snorkel the sentier marin underwater route at
Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer’s Domaine du Rayol
Drive round the Cap de Brégançon, home to the
French presidential retreat and packed with vineyards
Explore Hyères’ Villa Noialles and gardens, a
favourite 1920s haunt for artists, now showcasing
contempo rary exhibitions
KEY
Rent a bike and cycle to a secluded beach on the Drive route
Île de Porquerolles
Pick up a map from the tourist office and hike
Cassis’s vineyards, following the Vin et Terroir route