Les Issambres and Saint Aygulf, two small coastal towns, surrounded by the larger Sainte-Maxime and Fréjus / Saint-Raphaël and an ideal destination for a family holiday in the South of France because of the beautiful long sandy beaches, relaxed atmosphere and convenient location.
Les Issambres is part of Roquebrune-sur-Argens and is actually the little sister of Sainte-Maxime, with as many beautiful sandy beaches, but more quiet. Nice cabanas for a relaxing lunch, a sailing school, a Provençal- and Flea market along the boulevard and only a few minutes drive away from Sainte-Maxime.
The village of San Peire, with its beautiful promenade, is situated at the heart of Les Issambres. Here you can get your fresh croissants in the morning from the bakery. Maybe at La Tarte Tropeziennes, named after the local specialty `Tarte Tropzienne`, you should definitely try that one! On the terrace of Le Bistrot at the Hotel Le Provencal you can enjoy a glass of rosé with a view at the Mediterranean.
There are two supermarkets and some small tourist shops and a village square with the location of the tourist office. In San Peire, you can enjoy meals on the beach at several beach restaurants, for example Cap Mail or Borea Beach or at the Plage 44 beach club. Les Mûriers at the Hotel Le Provencal is also popular.
There are also many restaurants along the route to Ste. Maxime, especially at the beach La Nartelle; `Les Voiles` is currently `The Place to Be`, but also the relaxed `Le WYC` has long been a favourite. Barco Beach, is a nice place for families with children, because of its playground at the restaurant.
Water sports are great here. Les Issambres has a good sailing school where you can rent a sailboat or have surfboard lessons. You can hire a motor yacht, jet skis and surfboards in the port. If you want to dive and look at the nature below sea-level you can go to the diving center `Aqua Dive` in the port.
Saint Aygulf has 5km long sandy beaches, a lively center and many nice shops and restaurants around the town square. Here are also several good bakeries, including a branch of La Tarte Tropezienne. At the beginning of the boulevard, near Hotel Van der Valk, there are several nice beach bars, including beach club `Blue et Blanc`. At Plage de la Gaillarde, between Saint Aygulf and Les Issambres, there are more nice cabanas as well as a nightclub `Le Caveau` where you can party deep into the night.
Surf- and paddle boards can also be rented in the port Saint Aygulf and worth to mention is that there is a kite-surf beach at the end of Saint Aygulf, just before arriving in Frejus.
On the square of Saint Aygulf there is a carousel/merry-go-round and you will please all children with a visit to Aqualand, just outside the center of Saint Aygulf, or opposite located the Luna Park, open every night in high season. Next to the Luna Park you will find a kart-track. Enough fun for little and big kids!
For golfers, this area is also a top destination. Within easy driving distance you will find the golf courses of Saint Endréol and Golf de Roquebrune. La Nartelle has the slightly elevated Golf de Sainte-Maxime and more in the direction of Saint Tropez, you will find the seaside Golf de Beauvallon. From Saint Aygulf you can also reach the famous golf courses of Valescure and Esterel Latitudes Saint Raphael and, of course, the beautiful 18-hole golf course of Roquebrune-sur-Argens.
In terms of nature Les Issambres and Saint Aygulf are situated at a very privileged location between the Massif des Maures and Esterel. The protected `Étangs the Villepey` (sweet and salty water) in Saint Aygulf offers beautiful scenery and is home to many species of birds, including flamingos, swans, ducks ... Hikers can follow Chemin des Douaniers. This route runs along 11 km of coastline with rocky coves and beautiful bays.
Both villages has their Petit Casinos where you can do your small shopping. Furthermore in Les Issambres the Spar is recommended and other large and very large stores are Carrefour and the Géant Casino in Saint Raphael / Frejus, Puget-sur-Argens and Sainte-Maxime.
In Les Issambres every Monday morning you will find a Provencal market at the town square, where you can buy fresh products. Tuesday and Friday is market day in Saint Aygulf. And on Thursday (and also on Sunday in Issambres) both villages has a small flea- and art market.
From the ports of Les Issambres and Saint Aygulf you can catch in the summer months the bateaux Vert, a taxi boat who will bring you in 20 minutes - without traffic jam - to Saint Tropez. This trip alone is worth wile of the nice boat tour that ends in the cosmopolitan port of Saint Tropez with its spectacular yachts. Good to know that here every Tuesday and Saturday you will find `Le Marché Saint Tropez`. Without doubt the hippest and most vibrant market in southern France.
