This picturesque hilltop village has preserved all its authenticity: cobbled streets, facades with vaulted arches, pastel-coloured windows with flowered shutters and tree-lined squares. The village discovery trail, with its churches and chapels, reflects the commune’s rich past, preserved in the Heritage Museum. At the top of the hill, the feudal castle, surrounded by greenery, protected access to a territory (now the Gulf of Saint-Tropez) known as “Freinet” from the Middle Ages until the French Revolution. The view from the summit is unforgettable.
CULTURE ON THE MOVE
Throughout the year, Grimaud pulsates to the rhythm of its many cultural and festive events, including contemporary art exhibitions, painters’ and sculptors’ fairs, musical evenings, traditional local festivals, the Grimaldines world music festival, the Festival of Light, the Plage de Rock festival and medieval evenings. Grimaud’s cultural vocation enhances the richness of its historical heritage.
THE CHARMING LAKESIDE TOWN OF PORT GRIMAUD
Port Grimaud, which came into being in 1966 thanks to the imagination and talent of visionary architect François Spoerry, is an instant magnet. Take a stroll along the quays and be charmed by the bright colours of the two thousand Roman-tiled fishermen’s cottages, their moored boats and the Venetian bridges linking islets adorned with colonnades, retro lampposts and flower-filled basins. The 90 hectares of the lakeside city can only be reached by exploring the labyrinth of canals on board a water coach. Add to this the view from the modern church, the lively terraces, the two weekly markets and the water sports available on the vast beach, and you’ll understand the international renown earned by this exceptional place.
LET’S TAKE A WALK
From the Tourist Office, take the lift to Place Neuve: the monumental fountain celebrates the arrival of water pumped from the plain. Head towards Place Vieille. Take the rue des Meuniers and then the rue des Templiers. From the church of Saint-Michel, take the rue du Balladou to the château. Take the signposted path back down to rue de la Treille and rue du Baou. Chapelle des Pénitents, rue de la Pompe (an old village well). Go up rue du Gacharel. Go down to the porch, Place Neuve, visit the museum and return to the starting point. Note that the map, a booklet of games for families and guided tours in season are proposed by Grimaud Tourist Office.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Legend has it that in 1968, the boat carrying the body of the knight Torpès from Pisa in Italy ran aground on the shores of what is now Saint-Tropez, and with its ill-fated passengers – a cockerel and a dog – came to grief at the bottom of the Gulf, in an ancient marsh bordered by reeds. There, the rooster flew into a field of… flax. And the rooster and the flax became Cogolin. The gallinaceous bird became its emblem. Over the centuries, the village has been shaped by the history of Provence, its counts and the Wars of Religion.
NOT TO BE MISSED
• Medieval castle (historic monument), façade of the “Templiers” house.
• Chapels (Saint-Roch, Pénitents blancs, Notre-Dame de la Queste in the plain).
• Church (Saint-Michel) and oratories throughout the area.
• Saint-Roch windmill.
• Heritage museum and Maison des Arcades (exhibitions all year round).
• Pedestrianised streets (mullioned windows, doors framed in black lava or serpentinite, etc.).
• Art galleries and exhibitions at the Salle Beausoleil.
• Port Grimaud (tourist train: one-hour round trip, April to October).
PANORAMAS
• Château de Grimaud: view of the village, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the Maures mountains.
• The Pont des Fées path.
• Grimaud Mill: exceptional view of the Maures and the plain.
• Esplanade of the town hall.
• In Port Grimaud: the ecumenical church of Saint-François d’Assise (fee-paying access to the summit of the bell tower, with views over the lakeside town and the Bay of Saint-Tropez).
INFORMATION
Grimaud Tourist Office
Catégorie 1 – Marque « Qualité Tourisme »
RN 679
83310 Grimaud
+ 33 (0)4 94 55 43 83 – info@grimaud-provence.com
Tourist Office website: www.grimaud-provence.com
Destination website: www.visitgolfe.com
Copyright : Grimaud Tourisme
