Le Castellet & Sanary Sur Mer

Roam the feudal town of Le Castellet and the seaside resort of Sanary-sur-Mer for a glimpse of the Côte d’Azur’s enthralling contrasts. Travel inland for a guided walking tour of Le Castellet, a classic Provençal village perched above fertile plains and vineyards. Enter the hilltop hamlet through one of two ancient gates and delight in its jumble of cobbled streets, leafy squares and medieval stone buildings adorned with cascading bougainvillea. Take in marvelous views beside a 15th-century hilltop château and uncover the charm of the 12th-century Church of Saint-Sauveur. During time at your leisure, you might browse the village’s renowned pottery shops and artist’s ateliers. You’ll drive to Sanary-sur-Mer, a lovely port town adorned with colorful façades, shaded walkways and hundred-year-old trees. Discover a Romanesque defensive tower dating to the 13th century and the modest 16th-century Notre-Dame de Pitié church, whose bell was rung to warn residents of approaching foes. You’ll learn it was in Sanary-sur-Mer that Jacques Cousteau developed the groundbreaking equipment that forever changed diving, another captivating facet of this village with a foot in the veiled past and another in the luminous present.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.