Hello

Planning a trip for next summer and have honed in on these two towns.. Any pluses or minuses?? Overall feel?

I'm looking for a beach location far away from the american-touristed spots with good cafes, shopping, beaches, etc.. Any villa rental recommendations?

Hi, I'm going to spend a week in Bandol in 3 weeks time and I'm interested to read any tips as well! I found a vacation rental near the beach on www.vivastreet.fr
Bandol seems nice and not over touristic. (but lots of French anyway!)

I stopped once in Sanary which is nice. I wouldn't have minded finding a rental there as well.
http://www.cote.azur.fr/ville_bandol_1127_lang_en.htm
http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/var/bandol/bandol.htm
http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/var/sanary/sanary.htm
http://www.toutsanary.fr/

You were looking for a rental in Ste Maxime, did you find something?

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/10/0...86&ei=5070


Here is an article from NYT last fall; I remembered reading something about S-s-M and did a search.

(Obviously, I forgotten how to use tinyurl. Can somebody please remind me? Merci!)

Hi grandmere I'm thinking about the questions you sent me.

go to http://tinyurl.com/ and put the link in the box.
Talk to you later (dinner time here)

Hi, Coco!

Good to hear from you, and to learn of your upcoming vacation in the south!

Perhaps I asked too many questions in my email to you; don't spend lots of time on it! Looking forward to being in Dijon in a little over a month!

I actually lovd ste maxime so much I'm planning a return trip to the Var region already for next summer!! We absolutely fell in love with the area. We actually intended to use Ste. Maxime as an easy alternative to staying in St. Tropez, which I really wanted to go to.. However, we wound up loving Ste. Maxime so much more and actually found St Tropez to be very, very touristy and full of Americans... In Ste. Maxime NO ONE spoke English except for us.. We rented a villa off holiday-rental.co.uk.. Just gorgeous.. I highly recommend it!

HI
Two of the most enchanting towns in the South of France...but I love Sanary!!!
We just returned from three weeks in Sanary sur Mer where we rented a gorgeous apartment on the port and are already planning our trip for next year. Two years ago when we stayed in an apartment in a villa in Six Fours Les Plages, the town next to Sanary, we discovered Sanary and Bandol while driving around and said next time we come we are staying in Sanary ( or Bandol as a second choice ). And we did. I was raised travelling to the French Riviera because of family (Antibes, Cannes etc...) and thought that France began and ended there and that there was no place like it. Well now that I am grown and I am bringing my children to visit their French family who are now mostly in the Toulon area I had to stay closer to them in the Var department as opposed the the Aples Maritimes and boy am I glad I did. This is how I found this area. Much more French and less international touristy than the traditional Cote D'azur it is wonderfully charming and everyone is lovely and thrilled to see Americans. I prefer Sanary over Bandol as the center of the old town is centered around a charming fishing port with colorful boats and beautiful old pastel colored builings with the church and city hall as the center piece overlooking the harbour. The area of town behind the main harbour front street is a pedestrian zone with little winding alleys full of great shops and adorable tiny restaurants. Every morning Sanary has a beautiful fresh produce marche on the port under the shade of the trees and every Wednesday they have the larger provencal market where they sell everything. Beginning July 1 the entire main harbour front street becomes a pedestrian zone every night with vendors of food and crafts and there is a band every night until about 1am with all the cafes along the harbour very active until that hour. Sanary is also great for families with young children (I have a 10, 9 and 8 year old ) and they love it. Along the harbour there is the Carousel of course (Bandol has theirs also), mini go carts, mini golf, a little carnival type ride, a skateboard park, a biking park and a great playground where went almost every night and was very active with families until after midnight. If you stay in the center of Sanary on the border of Six Fours les Plages the best beach in the area is in Six Fours called Plage de Bonnegrace. It is very very long and clean on a beautiful bay with showers and restrooms and well guarded by life gaurds and security. It is very family friendly and beautiful. I can't say enough about this area.
Also, sites for rentals which we've used successfully www.abritel.fr www.papvacances.fr and www.homelidays.com
I look forward to answering more questions if you have them.

Lemidi thanks for the input

Mappy.fr says Bandol is only 5.45km from Sanary then we will surely spend a day there! My 2 kids are 10 and 7 so they will enjoy it as well!
In Bandol, we'll be staying near plage de Renecros and it looks great and secure!8-)

Cocofromdijon, you will have a great time in Bandol. Bandol also has a great evening promenade with vendors and music. But do visit Sanary one night. If you are driving head right to the parking de l'esplanade on the port. It is cheap and if you don't park there it is difficult to find parking on the streets in the summer. You must also visit the beautiful hill village of Le Castellet behind Bandol and another nice coastal town St Cyr sur Mer on the other side of Bandol. If you want to venture a bit further (20 minute drive) Cassis is beautiful. And if you decide to just stay put in Bandol for the week and relax that's lovely as well.Have a great trip.

Thanks so much lemidi... I feel like I've opened up a great big can of worms by going to Sainte Maxime and am so glad to hear that the area futher south near Toulon is even more authentic...Sanary sounds perfect for us and our two kids (2 and 4).. I will check those sites for a good villa witha pool in Sanary, for two weeks next July.. I've found some good ones in Oullioles, which looks very close on the map, but I'd rather stay right in Sanary.. I appreciate the tips!

bookmarking

We were looking for somewhere different on the coast for next summer, Sanary sounds and looks wonderful. I've already spent hours looking at the holiday rental websites mentioned. Would be grateful for any firsthand villa/apartment recommendations. Thanks.

I can't believe it! the owner in Bandol called me to cancel the booking!
So now I'm searching again... maybe I'll find something in Sanary!

Coco, I sure hope you find a place that you like; that is certainly not fair, being cancelled at the last minute like this. Sanary sounds great to me. Bonne chance!

Wow, Sorry to hear about the cancellation. Had you sent a deposit and if so what was their reason for cancelling??? This makes me nervous for the future because on several occasions I have rented apartments and villas long in advance after much research and would be in a terrible bind if the owners cancelled. Particularly if owning 6 transatlantic airline tickets as would be my case.
Try the sites I have listed above, maybe you can find something last minute. Hope it works out.

try this site:

www.sanary-sur-mer.info

P

Thank you for your concern but I found something else in Bandol(sent the deposit today)even closer to the sea
Found it on locasun.fr

Coco, did you see the article on Bandol in this Saturday's Figaro?

I'll try to find online thanks!