Villa Lou Bagarède — A stay near Sainte-Maxime, the quiet shore of the gulf
Villa Lou Bagarède · Grimaud · 13 km from Sainte-Maxime
Sainte-Maxime from the villa, a thirteen-kilometre crossing
Sainte-Maxime sits on the opposite shore of the gulf, facing Saint-Tropez. From Villa Lou Bagarède the drive is short — thirteen kilometres, twenty minutes by the gentler inland route, less by the coastal road outside peak hours. The crossing changes register completely: from the inland pine of Grimaud to a wide seafront promenade, a long sandy beach and a lively, family-oriented town.
Many guests adopt a small ritual after a few days at the villa: morning at home, lunch at Sainte-Maxime, swim, return for the early evening on the terrace at the villa. The town offers what the inland of the gulf does not — a flat, walkable seafront, a casino, a marina, and one of the most reliable evening atmospheres on the coast.
The seafront, the Promenade Simon-Lorière
The Promenade Simon-Lorière runs the length of Sainte-Maxime's beach: nearly two kilometres of palm-shaded walkway from the marina to the eastern end of town. It is one of those rare French seafront walks that has kept its dignity — no fairground attractions, no pop-music speakers, just the rhythm of locals and visitors walking, jogging, pushing prams in the late afternoon shade.
The beach itself, the Plage de la Nartelle a few kilometres further east, is a wide arc of fine sand with shallow waters and reliable lifeguards in season. Guests of the villa with younger children often favour this beach over the wilder Pampelonne for its calm and its accessibility. Beach restaurants and shaded sun lounger sections are easy to find without booking, even in August.
Sainte-Maxime, facing Saint-Tropez
There is a quiet pleasure in seeing Saint-Tropez from the other side of the gulf. From the seafront of Sainte-Maxime, the village across the water — its bell tower, its citadel, the alignment of yachts at the port — composes itself into a postcard view that the place itself, seen from the inside, can no longer quite provide. At sunset, the light turns the whole horizon a warm peach, and the contrast between the lively shore and the legendary opposite bank becomes one of the gulf's most photographed moments.
A passenger ferry connects Sainte-Maxime to Saint-Tropez year-round — fifteen minutes by sea, a far more agreeable way to cross than the road in summer when traffic on the coastal route can lengthen the drive to an hour. The boat runs from morning to late evening; for an evening in Saint-Tropez, returning to the villa via the ferry is often the choice of regular guests.
Markets, the casino, evenings out
Sainte-Maxime hosts a market every Thursday morning at the Place du Marché, in the heart of the old town: a generous Provençal market where producers from the Var hinterland come down to sell olive oils, honeys, lavender essences, fresh produce. It is one of the most authentic of the gulf, less performative than the famous Place des Lices in Saint-Tropez but equally rich in offer.
Sainte-Maxime's casino, the Casino Barrière, occupies a Belle Époque building on the seafront. It is one of the few places of the gulf where the evening dress code is real — the kind of place that turns dinner-into-late-night-out into a single elegant proposition. The town's smaller restaurants, scattered through the old streets behind the seafront, offer simpler and warmer options on any evening of the year.
Villa Lou Bagarède, your base in the gulf
Villa Lou Bagarède is a 340-square-metre house in the commune of Grimaud, at the heart of the gulf of Saint-Tropez. Six bedrooms accommodate up to twelve guests in a setting that owes nothing to ostentation and everything to authentic Provençal character.
The private heated pool, the two-thousand-square-metre garden on the edge of the Mediterranean pine forest, the private sauna, the fully equipped professional kitchen: every feature has been thought through so the stay can be a complete experience, without ever needing to leave the property for comfort.
The villa is rented directly by the owners, with no intermediary. They welcome guests personally and remain available throughout the stay.
Frequently asked questions about Sainte-Maxime and the villa
Is Sainte-Maxime part of the gulf of Saint-Tropez?
Yes — Sainte-Maxime sits on the northern shore of the gulf, opposite Saint-Tropez. The two towns face each other across the bay and are connected year-round by a fifteen-minute passenger ferry as well as by the coastal road that loops around the gulf.
How far is Sainte-Maxime from Villa Lou Bagarède?
Sainte-Maxime is approximately 13 km from the villa — a twenty-minute drive by the inland route or slightly more along the coast. The inland road is the calmer choice in midsummer when coastal traffic peaks.
What is there to do in Sainte-Maxime during a stay at the villa?
Sainte-Maxime offers what the inland gulf cannot: a walkable seafront, a wide family-friendly beach, a casino, an active marina, a Thursday market in the old town, a passenger ferry to Saint-Tropez, and a reliable, lively evening atmosphere. A perfect destination for a day-trip or for an evening out from the villa.
How do I book Villa Lou Bagarède for a stay near Sainte-Maxime?
Book directly with the owner — no intermediaries, no commission. Availability and rates on our dedicated page. Replies within 24 hours.
Ready for a stay in the gulf of Saint-Tropez?
Check availability at Villa Lou Bagarède — direct booking with the owner, no commission.
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