Summer has been in full force on the French Riviera for many weeks now, one of my boys has been on holiday for 5 weeks and the other 2 weeks but I’m only just beginning to find the time to make the most of it myself. We’ve had scorching temperatures hovering around 40°c for several weeks and not a drop of rain for a very long time. So yesterday when we went to the beach at les Calanques de Maupas en famille it felt like heaven! The water was a perfect 26° and sparkling deep blue, contrasting with the warm red rocks of the Estérel cliffs.
I thought I’d write about one local beach each week for the rest of the summer season, showcasing some of our favourite places to cool off, swim, snorkel, rent boats, rent pedalos, jump off rocks, “bodysurf” (this is the Mediterranean not the Atlantic so don’t expect big waves!) laze around luxuriously and generally have fun.
To kick off my series, here’s where we went yesterday, les Calanques de Maupas in the Massif de l’Estérel.
The Estérel hills divide the Alpes-Maritimes department from the Var on the Côte d’Azur and form a stunning backdrop to one of the most scenic drives in the area. Magnificent red cliffs come crashing down to the deep blue sea with little creeks, bays and rocky coves all along the coast. Where we like to go isn’t really a beach (though there is a small pebbly beach nearby it’s not where we go). We find a spot on the rocks and climb down into the water, or in my kids’ case, jump into the water. It’s crystalline and ideal for snorkelling as there are rocks to perch on across the little bay and crevasses, nooks and crannies to explore underwater.
This area is part of the Cap Roux fishing reserve, a 445 hectare marine reserve protecting and encouraging the biodiversity of sea life along the Estérel coast. It is the largest reserve of its sort in continental France. We’ve seen plenty of fish, anemones and sea urchins but no lobsters (yet) that the area is supposed to have.
The rocks are sharp and rough and to enjoy this area I highly recommend wearing beach/swimming shoes unless you have very tough feet. The water is probably the clearest in the area, and the most amazing temperature, it just isn’t cold, so lazily snorkelling around is very comfortable. We have even swum here in late October and is a favourite picnic spot throughout the year.
There are several spots to jump off the rocks into the water, and as none are very high it’s pretty safe for kids and not too alarming to watch as a mum!
To find this magical place, take the D6098 (which becomes the D559) from Théoule sur Mer towards St Raphaël. Look out for the Hotel Mirimar on the left and then it’s 2.6 km to our spot, just a few metres after the Relais des Calanques. You’ll see a car park on the left opposite the bus stop for Calanques Maupas. If this is full you’ll just have to find somewhere to pull off on the side of the road. To make sure you get a place in high season I recommend you either get there early (by 9 am) or late. We arrived at 5 pm in time for an evening picnic and had no trouble parking. From the car park take the little path to the left of the sign about the fishing reserve. In good traffic conditions, it takes about 50 minutes from Lou Messugo and is well worth the effort.
Have you been to the Estérel? Where’s your favourite beach? Do tell.
For more beach recommendations take a look at my top 12 favourite beaches on the Riviera
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How beautiful a location is this I want to go there now
Wow beautiful pics there
Wow! What a beautiful place to spend the summer or even just a day. How lucky for you to have this locally. I love that it’s also a marine reserve and all the snorkeling opportunities.
I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to live somewhere so beautiful!
Wow what a beautiful place! It looks like great fun! xx
Looks like a stunning place to visit.
What a wonderful wonderful place, sounds like you’re having an amazing time. So lovely to get the inside track as it were. Enjoy the rest of your time 🙂
What a beautiful place!
Me too, I used to like that sort of thing but I’m too wimpy now!!
The great thing about around here is that there are so many (literally hundreds) of different beaches. Come back in a week and see the next one!
Thank you Catherine 🙂
I promise you it wasn’t shallow where they were jumping, plenty of places were shallow but not there, we’re not silly!!
yes it’s a fab place to swim!
This looks amazing! Proper sea swimming. Your kids are certainly throwing themselves into it…literally 😉
It looks stunning and perfect for a spot of coasteering. I would be nervous jumping off that rock thoug, looks quite shallow
Pure heaven! Have a wonderful summer.
this one beach is amazing and you say you have lots more near by. I have beach envy…our beaches are flat, white, no tide or rock pools
What some beautiful photos – that beach looks like a total hideaway I would have loved jumping from the rocks in my younger years.
I hope so Lucy and thanks for your kind words.
Yes we certainly do, at least this is a start.
What are you waiting for Jen?
Well I know just the place for you to stay!!!
What beautiful photos – I love France and would love to holiday there again soon x x
Oh we need to take another trip to France. Just reading this and looking at the pictures reminds me of all our wonderful trips.
I would love to visit. Beautiful! I love looking for marine life too and how special that it is a protected area. We need more of them!
This post is going to be so useful to anyone travelling to France this summer! Such beautiful pictures, what a lovely place!
Thanks Nadine, I love sharing this kind of insider knowledge too!
I hope you enjoy the series Michelle!
thanks for your enthusiasm!!
Thanks Rachel 🙂
The sea was such a good temperature, it really was pure relaxation
My kids love jumping off them too!
This looks like such a beautiful place to visit! My kids would love to jump off those rocks!!
WOW, it looks fab. Your photos are amazing! Wish I was there
Wow it looks beautiful. The sea looks ever so relaxing, then I see the kiddies jumping off *heart skips a beat* haha
My gosh this place and your pictures look amazing just “wow”.
Wow, this looks fantastic! I love snorkelling, so I know I would love it here! Looking forward to your series of a beach a week over the summer! x
Oh my! What a beautiful place – I love getting this kind of ‘insider knowledge’!! Enjoy the rest of your summer!!