La Belle Hacienda

La Belle Hacienda is located just outside the characterful village of La Garde-Freinet in the Maures hills of the Var department, 16km from Port Grimaud  and around half an hour from Saint-Tropez and Sainte-Maxime.

The nearest airport is Toulon Hyères (56km) whilst Nice and Marseille Airports are also worth considering. If travelling by train, there are direct TGV services from Paris Gare de Lyon to Les Arcs-Draguignan (25km).

The villa enjoys a rural setting on a hilltop surrounded by mature trees and only a small handful of neighbours. La Garde-Freinet (1km) is a pretty medieval village, home to restaurants, inviting shops, a couple of grocery stores and a twice-weekly market showcasing some of the region’s gastronomic delights. This part of the Côte d’Azur hinterland is ideal for hikes, mountain biking and horse-riding, all spectacular ways to appreciate the beautiful surroundings.

Following the winding roads passing chestnut and oak forests, reach the picture-perfect village of Grimaud (10km) where you can admire glorious views of Saint-Tropez bay. It’s a delightul hilltop village with a rich heritage alongside a weekly market, excellent restaurants and little art galleries.  

Port Grimaud (16km) is another highlight of this region, a joy to explore by boat with its canals and colourful houses – look out for the Monday evening market that takes place in the height of the summer. Plage de Grimaud is a fantastic beach with watersports whilst further along the coast is the charming seaside resort of Sainte-Maxime (20km).

From Sainte-Maxime or Port Grimaud you can catch a summer ferry across to Saint-Tropez (22km), a good way to avoid the summer traffic. The former fishing village exudes both character and glamour with its medieval lanes, boutiques, bars, restaurants and impressive marina. South of the town, Plage de Pampelonne (26km), best reached by car, is a vast sandy beach with exclusive beach clubs and a range of watersports.

Driving north, discover a different side of the Côte d’Azur hinterland as you come across the natural beauty of the Argens River, ideal for canoeing and kayaking, or sample wines at prestigious châteaux near Vidauban (20km). Lorgues (31km) hosts one of the Var’s best Provençal markets on a Tuesday morning. 

Read more about Saint Tropez

Once a traditional fishing village, Saint-Tropez is now one of the most glamourous destinations of the Côte d’Azur and welcomes visitors from across the world.

However, there’s more to Saint-Tropez bay than exclusive beach clubs, glitzy boutiques and fine dining restaurants. From the family-friendly beaches of Sainte-Maxime to the vineyards of La Croix Valmer, Oliver’s Travels guests can truly admire this enchanting corner of the French Riviera whilst staying in one of our handpicked villas in and around Saint-Tropez.

Soak up the luxurious yet laidback vibe of Saint-Tropez as you wander around its marina lined with huge yachts contrasting colourful fishermen’s houses overlooking the bay. The old quarter is a warren of winding lanes with French designer boutiques, picturesque cafes and restaurants whilst Place des Lices hosts a vibrant Provençal market on a Tuesday and Saturday morning. Enjoy the most glorious vistas from Saint-Tropez’s 17th century citadel and maritime museum. Boat trips are another superb way to tour this part of the coast and passenger ferries cross the bay.

Just south of the town, follow Brigitte Bardot’s footsteps as you visit one of Plage de Pampelonne’s exclusive beach clubs, the most famous being Le Club 55 (always book well in advance). Stretching over 5km, Pampelonne’s long sandy beach is also loved for its vast range of summer watersports including jet-skiing, windsurfing and paddleboarding.

The picture-perfect villages of Saint-Tropez bay are beautifully located to make the most of the French Riviera scenery. On the hillside overlooking Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle has attracted artists and writers over the years and is full of charm – look out for performances during its theatre and jazz festivals in the summer months. Meanwhile, hilltop Gassin is classified as one of France’s 'Plus Beaux Villages’ whilst flower-filled Grimaud is such a pretty medieval village with yet more stunning views of the coast.

Driving into the Maures hills, discover the characterful villages of La Garde-Freinet and Le Plan-de-la-Tour surrounded by oak and chestnut forests, a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, horse-riding enthusiasts and other outdoor adventurists.

Back to the coast, take a boat tour of Port Grimaud, known as the ‘little Venice of the Côte d’Azur’, and experience its atmospheric Monday evening summer market. Across the other side of the bay, Sainte-Maxime is a lovely sheltered seaside town with pretty cafes, a daily market and gorgeous beaches. Families adore this area – there are tree-top adventures, tennis, mini-golf, a water park and coastal paths for biking and hiking.

Golf-lovers can appreciate a choice of courses – Golf Blue Green as well as the prestigious Beauvallon Golf Club and Golf Club Saint-Tropez. Wine connoisseurs should head to the wine châteaux of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne as well as the vineyards of La Croix Valmer.

Not forgetting the idyllic shores of soft sand and crystal-clear sea of La Croix Valmer’s coastline from Plage de Sylvabelle to Plage de Gigaro, also home to a wonderful coastal walking trail with the most incredible flora and fauna alongside sensational views of the Mediterranean as you hike towards Cap Lardier and beyond.