Port Grimaud
The man-made village of Port Grimaud, which overlooks the sea and the bay of Saint-Tropez, was conceived and built in the 1960's by French architect François Spoerry.
The land on which it is built was once marshland which every year would flood the nearby village of Cogolin.
Spoerry sought government approval to build a village surrounded by canals and was immediately granted permission.
Plans were drawn up and Spoerry sold 1,000 houses before they were even built. This was to finance the rest of the project. The village of Port Grimaud now has 2,200 small houses, each individual and none exactly the same.
It resembles a charming modern-day version of Venice with a Provençal feel.
The houses have terracotta roofs, an impressive variation of pastel facades and in the summer, charming overflowing window boxes full of scented flowers.
Each property has its own mooring so boat owners can anchor at their doorsteps.
The village is busy in summertime but nonetheless very pleasant to walk around or tour by water-taxi. In the winter many of the houses are closed up as they are second homes.
Cars are not allowed into the village.
There are numerous shops and restaurants in Port Grimaud catering for all tastes.
These are closed between October and March.
Holiday properties in this area
The man-made village of Port Grimaud, which overlooks the sea and the bay of Saint-Tropez, was conceived and built in the 1960's by French architect François Spoerry.
The land on which it is built was once marshland which every year would flood the nearby village of Cogolin.
Spoerry sought government approval to build a village surrounded by canals and was immediately granted permission.
Plans were drawn up and Spoerry sold 1,000 houses before they were even built. This was to finance the rest of the project. The village of Port Grimaud now has 2,200 small houses, each individual and none exactly the same.
It resembles a charming modern-day version of Venice with a Provençal feel.
The houses have terracotta roofs, an impressive variation of pastel facades and in the summer, charming overflowing window boxes full of scented flowers.
Each property has its own mooring so boat owners can anchor at their doorsteps.
The village is busy in summertime but nonetheless very pleasant to walk around or tour by water-taxi. In the winter many of the houses are closed up as they are second homes.
Cars are not allowed into the village.
There are numerous shops and restaurants in Port Grimaud catering for all tastes.
These are closed between October and March.
Holiday properties in this area