Les Issambres is a popular seaside resort on the Cote d'Azur between Sainte-Maxime and Saint Aygulf. It is characterized by its 8 kilometers of coastline, with 9 beaches of fine sand, and countless bays. Les Issambres has a port with 450 berths, which is certainly worth a visit, and where you have the opportunity for various water sports activities, such as water skiing, sailing and diving.
Discover a selection of the most beautiful places and attractions in Les Issambres
Golf de Roquebrune
The Golf de Roquebrune golf club is 13 kilometers from the center of Les Issambres. The 18-hole course is beautifully landscaped and designed by the architect Michel Gayan with a length of 5897 meters, a par 71 course. There are 40 bunkers and 6 water obstacles on the track. The golf club also offers the possibility for players with less time to walk as 9 holes. In the morning until 1 ½ hours after the first tee off you can walk the holes 10 to 18, and the rest of the day the holes 1 to 9. Of course, the golf club offers you a driving range, putting green, golf lessons for both beginners and advanced and a golf academy that is also suitable for small children. A proshop is also available, as well as a restaurant La Table de Louis.
Port of Les Issambres
Even if you do not own a boat, a marina is always a nice place to visit. And the port of Issambres is no exception. The port has 450 berths for boats with a length of 5-15 meters, and is close to a beach and the center of Les Issambres. At the harbor there are also several restaurants, so visiting around lunchtime is a great time.
Beaches
Les Issambres has a coastline of 8 kilometers, with several fine sandy beaches and bays. The most famous sandy beach is in the westernmost part of Les Issambres, and that is the beach Plage de la Gaillarde with a length of 150 meters. You can easily park there in the free parking lot. Access to the beach is free, but if you want to use a lounger and parasol, you will of course have to rent it. These are available at one of the beach clubs, where you can also eat. Other beaches are the Plage de Gaillarde Ouest, the Calanque Bonne Eau, the Calanque Tardieu, the Plage de la Pinède and the Plage des Girelliers.
Aquatics
At the port of San Peire you will find a branch of the company Water Glisse Passion, where you have the opportunity to practice all kinds of water sport activities. Would you like to rent a boat, a kayak or a pedal boat or would you rather waterski? It is all possible. You can also find them on the beaches of El Moritto and Aréna in Les Issambres.
Thalasso Spa Les Issambres
After having spent many hours in the sun, relaxing in the Thalasso Spa of Les Issambres is a treat for your body. The center includes 11 hydrotherapy booths, including 4 hydromassage baths, and 8 aesthetic massage booths. In addition, there is a Jacuzzi, a hammam and a large saltwater swimming pool of 160 m2. Thalasso Spa offers you various detox, beauty and relaxation programs, with a duration of between 2 and 6 days.
Chateau Vaudois
There are several vineyards to visit in the vicinity of les Issambres, and of course also in Sainte-Maxime and Saint Tropez. If you go to a wine shop in the region, you will see that, contrary to your own country, half of the offer is Rosé. This is the specialization of the Provence region. Chateau Vaudois, which you can visit every day from Monday to Friday and in the summer also on Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm, is a local producer who not only produces rosé, but also white and red wine. The vineyard was established in 1988, and the first harvest dates back to 2004. A holiday in France is not complete without a visit to a vineyard with a tasting where you have the opportunity to buy the wines that you liked to take to your holiday home.
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 construction of the hotel La Residence at the beach La Garonette. Because of the coastal strip of 8 kilometers, with many beaches and bays with fine sand, it is also clear why. The name of les issambres is derived from Lei Sambro, which stands for cavity in the rock. The coastal area of Les Issambres and Sainte Maxime were used during World War II as a spearhead for the invasion of southern France by the Allies with Operation Lagoon in August 1944.
The number of permanent residents of Roquebrune sur Argens including Les Issambres was 13,195 in 2015
Les Issambres has a Mediterranean climate, with the following average temperatures per month: January 10 February 10 March 12 April 14 May 17 June 21 July 25 August 25 September 22 October 18 November 14 December 11
Standing 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....
Sophisticated kitchen
n°3609, RD 559, Les Issambres,
+33 (0) 494 96 35 39
https://www.lareservegayrard.com/
Pizzeria and bistro
35 Avenue des Eucalyptus, 83380 Les Issambres
+33 4 94 49 54 49
Fine dining
2411 Corniche des Issambres
+33 (0) 4.94.49.14.46
https://www.complexelecercle.com/