Discover a selection of the most beautiful places and attractions in Les Issambres
Les Issambres is part of the commune of Roquebrune-sur-Argens, and in the 30's of the last century it became known as a seaside resort with the constr...
Read MoreThe number of permanent residents of Roquebrune sur Argens including Les Issambres was 13,195 in 2015...
Read MoreLes Issambres has a Mediterranean climate, with the following average temperatures per month: January 10 February 10 March 12 April 14 May 17 Ju...
Read MoreStanding looking at the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean felt restful and knowing that there were eight kilometres of coastline to explore made Les Issambres suddenly seem the perfect holiday destination.... The beautiful area of Les Issambres is in the municipality of Roquebrune sur Argens and first became a tourist destination in the 1930s when the Hotel La Residence was built just above the fine sandy beach of La Garonette. Situated in the Val d'Esquieres in beautiful southern France, the whole area suddenly became attractive to poets, painters, writers and tourists who lived in more northern climates. Until then, Les Issambres had been just a small hamlet since Roman times, situated between the Gulf of Saint Tropez and the community of Fréjus. Les Issambres has long had a small protected boat harbour and its charm, colours and scents were unmistakeably Provençal. True, that over the years Les Issambres has developed but in reality, it is still relatively unspoilt with various holiday cottages and villas and remains the perfect destination for a family beach holiday. There is little mention of Les Issambres until the Second World War when it was selected as one of the three beaches in the Saint Tropez area for Operation Dragon. Operation Dragon took place on 15 August 1944 and was an invasion by the American Delta Force to liberate Southern France. Today there is a memorial close to the entrance to the beach of La Garonette in honour of those American soldiers. The sailing centre on the beach has the name La Batterie as during the war it was the location of a German artillery battery. There are eight kilometres of coastline to enjoy with numerous little coves, creeks and rocks. There are beautiful beaches with fine sand that are perfect for simply stretching out and relaxing.
San Peïre beach is situated next to the harbour and is certainly a lovely beach, fringed by palm trees, with several restaurants where the tables actually stand in the sea! The Handiplage, is a relatively new beach area as it opened in 2016 and is especially for people with mobility problems. There are 30 local volunteers who help these visitors really enjoy the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean. This project has been really popular with 177 bathers in the first year and 200 in 2017. An added bonus is that there is often entertainment on the beach too. If you are keen to explore a little further afield, El Moritto Plage is a small but lovely beach with a delightful new restaurant right on the sand with a wooden canopy. The husband and wife team creates delicious creole dishes and there are plenty of sun loungers and sun umbrellas for the perfect lazy day! Of course, as well as enjoying the beach, the Mediterranean beckons you to have a go at some of the water sports on offer and what a choice! There are jet skis, water skiing, parasailing, sea karts diving and paddle boards and these are available to people with all levels of expertise. A particularly popular water sport is to hire a bobcat for an hour. These easy-to-use underwater scooters reveal the colourful life under the waves perfectly. If you enjoy messing about in a boat; there are glass bottomed kayaks, sailing excursions and peddle boats to enjoy. The harbour with its bobbing fishing boats and small pleasure craft remains the main focus. It is busier these days as there is a popular dive centre there and restaurants plus a regular boat service to Saint Tropez. The area around Les Issambres is perfect for those who enjoy walking as there are a number of really good routes that reveal the colours, fragrances, rich flora and fauna of the area. One of the most popular routes to follow is the coastal track between San Peïre Beach and Saint-Aygulf which is a distance of 12 kilometres.
Wearing sturdy shoes and taking a good supply of drinking water, most walkers cover the distance in just under four hours. On the way you will come across La Gaillarde - the 2,000-year-old Roman fish pond that is surprisingly well preserved. Children enjoy snorkelling in the clear water as there are numerous green crabs and hermit crabs to see. The coast at this point is particularly good for snorkelling as the marine life is rich. For those who prefer, there are guided walks with a very enthusiastic naturalist during the summer months! Enjoying a meal in Les Issambres is extra special as all the restaurants and brasseries either have a sea view or tables on the beach or in the sea! A particularly popular restaurant where diners sit at tables with colourful cloths just next to the sea is La Réserve Gayrard. There are delicious Provençal dishes on the menu as well as plenty of fresh fish that is really flavoursome. There are many delicious Provençal products to enjoy during your holiday (or even to take home as souvenirs) and these include olive oil, herbs, local wines and the well-known Provençal lavender. The perfect place to buy the local produce is in one of the markets. Les Issambres has a lovely market on a Monday morning with stalls selling fruit, vegetables, cheeses and charcuterie – amongst others. There are markets in Roquebrune-sur-Argens every Friday, La Bouverie on Saturdays and Puget-sur-Argens on Wednesdays. Further afield, Sainte-Maxime and Saint-Tropez both have several different types of markets each week. One of the biggest recent developments in Les Issambres has been the creation of the Thalassotherapy centre. 'Thalassa' is the Greek word for sea and this stylish spa certainly makes the most of the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean for its treatments. The sea water is drawn 300 metres from the coast and is rich in trace minerals.
The Spa offers hydro massage, jet showers, a salt water pool plus hammam as well as a number of special treatments using the sea water. This is the perfect way to truly relax on your holiday! There are plenty of places to visit in the surrounding area including Saint Tropez, Port Grimaud and Saint- Maxime.If there are children in your party, Jardin Botanique is just five kilometres away from Les Issambres and is perfect with lots of things to enjoy including a huge pirate ship. Inland lies the village of Roquebrune-sur-Argens which has a rich history spanning 1,000 years and is part of the same municipality as Les Issambres with a third village, La Bouverie. Roquebrune-sur-Argens is a typical fortified Provençal village that is situated on the right bank of the Argens. It is an old village that overlooks the plain, with a church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul and some lovely architecture including old stone buildings and houses with attractive arcades. Some of the original defensive ramparts can still be seen. It is a pretty flower-filled village and has won an award as a 'French city of flowers'. A popular attraction for visitors is the Maison du Chocolat where its artisan chocolatier Monsieur Courreau can be found making all types of speciality chocolates including his irresistible chocolate wrapped in nougat. There is a mini museum with 5,000 different items including chocolate boxes and posters that tell the story of all the world's most famous brands of chocolate. Le Rocher de Roquebrune is another popular place to visit. This huge and instantly recognisable isolated rock rises 376 metres above the Plain of Argens to the west of Roquebrune-sur-Argens and is a distinctive backdrop to the village with wonderful panoramic views of the area. The rock is currently being considered for a place on the World Heritage List.
Just a short distance away, lies a second village that is well worth exploring - Puget-sur-Argens, which is surrounded by vineyards and has a distinctive 18th century bell tower. This village is well known for its craft work as it has several ceramic artisans making distinctive ceramic figurines called 'Santons'. Les Issambres is well placed for those who want to dip into the colourful and iconic resort of Saint Tropez or the delightful town of Saint-Maxime with its interesting architecture and various markets. Fréjus is an interesting town that lies 15 kilometres to the west and is filled with art and history including a Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct. The town has the beautiful cathedral of Saint Léonce and the interesting Parc Zoologique de Fréjus. Throughout the year there are special events to enjoy in Les Issambres. During the summer months there are regular Brocantes (flea markets) where all types of different antique pieces are sold including old jewellery, coins and china. In mid-June there is a fun boat day with all types of activities and competitions. On Bastille Day (14 July) there is a nautical show with night sailing and a magnificent firework display on the beach of Saint Peïre followed by a ball with dancing till late. In October each year, Les Issambres hosts a stage of the World Cup Mountain Biking – Roc d'Azur. As another busy day of doing relatively little draws to a close, the place to head for as the sun sinks in the sky is the beautiful Calanque Tardieu. Its good – and romantic- to take a bottle of French wine there, to sip as the sun sets, with the toast to another perfect day in Les Issambres....
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