Page 243 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

DRIVE 23: Vineyards of Provence 241

Left Vineyards of Cassis, see p247
Below left Place de l’Ormeau, Saint-Tropez,
see p243 Below right Gigaro beach, Saint-Tropez
peninsula, see p242
PLAN YOUR DRIVE
Start/finish: Saint-Tropez to Cassis.
Number of days: 4, allowing half a
day to explore Saint-Tropez and a day
on the Île de Porquerolles.
Distance: 201 km (125 miles).
Road conditions: Generally good,
with clear signposting; some steep,
narrow roads with tight turns. In July
and August traffic is heavier.
Préconil
Gonfaron Aille La Garde- Courruero Ste-Maxime When to go: Between May and June,
Les Freinet
Mayons Roches before peak season is in full swing, or
Pignans N.-D. du Blanches Port-
Figuier 636 m Grimaud Grimaud SAINT-TROPEZ in September, as the vineyards begin
Garde
M a s s i f d e s M a u r e s GASSIN and major sights tend to close on
N.-D. des La Sauvette Giscle Château PLAGE DE to harvest their grapes.
779 m
Anges
Opening hours: Most businesses are
Collobrières Grimaud Cogolin Minuty PAMPELONNE open from 10am to 7pm. Museums
Col de
La Rivière Taillude La Môle La Croix-Valmer RAMATUELLE Mondays and/or Tuesdays, while
restaurants are often closed on
Môle
Les Tournels
Valcros BORMES-LES- Les Pradels Cavalaire- Gigaro Cap Taillat Sundays and /or Mondays.
sur-Mer
MIMOSAS Cap Lardier Main market days: Saint-Tropez:
Pansard
La Londe-les- Cavalière Domaine du Rayol Tue–Sun; Ramatuelle: Thu, Sun;
Maures RAYOL-CANADEL-
Domaine Le Lavandou SUR-MER Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer: Fri (Apr–Sep);
de Léoube Corniche des Maures Bormes-les-Mimosas: Wed; Hyères:
La Favière Tue, Sat, Sun; Sanary-sur-Mer: Wed;
Port-de- ROUTE DE LÉOUBE Château de Brégançon Cassis: Wed, Fri.
Miramar Cabasson
Cap de Cap Bénat
Brégançon Shopping: The boutique-lined streets
of Saint-Tropez have designer bargains,
Îles d’Hy èr es while wine, direct from the vineyards,
can be picked up at a fraction of its
Île du Levant
Plage de Héliopolis retail price.
Nôtre-
Dame Île de Bagaua Port-Cros
Porquerolles Île de Port Cros Major festivals: Saint-Tropez: Voiles
Domaine de la Courtade de Saint-Tropez Regatta, late Sep–Oct;
Pointe du Vallon
ÎLE DE PORQUEROLLES Ramatuelle: Jazz Festival, Aug;
Bormes-les-Mimosas: Santo Coupo
Food and Wine Festival, Oct; Cassis:
Quai des Artistes, Jun–Aug; Traditional
Wine Festival, Sep.
DAYTRIP OPTIONS
Outdoors enthusiasts will enjoy
hiking or kayaking Cassis’s Calanques,
while wine lovers will enjoy visiting
the vineyards around Ramatuelle,
Gassin and Bormes-les-Mimosas.
Families will enjoy a day at the
beaches of Île de Porquerolles. For
details, see p247.