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Sanary sur Mer

Var department
Population : 17177 people

Sanary sur Mer is a charming small port of Provence which knew how to keep its soul and its charm of long ago. It is a port which lives all year, summer as winter fishermen take out their boat without worrying about curious onlookers'presence.

The inhabitants of Sanary sur Mer are proud of their small port which they defended with force independence many times. Provence is a ground of contrast and the small port is a good example : sunlighted beaches, small shaded place refreshed by a fountain, quiet of lanes, colored façades and animation of the port.

A small port of Provence in history

Numerous archaeological discoveries, made around the port, give evidence that this one shelters man since antiquity. But the real history of Sanary began with a medieval tower built in the XIIIth century. The tower called Romanic was wanted to defend the Mediterranean coast and its inhabitants. Sanary was called at the time St Nazaire and was connected with Ollioules, families settled down at feet of the tower, the small hamlet became village and its port developed in spite of not enough depth of its waters. In 1688 the inhabitants of the small port obtained their independence, during almost 300 years they fought, it was for them a big victory.

Holidays on French riviera

In 1859, the train arrived on the coast, it was a real turnover, from 1865 the mayor of Sanary directed his city to tourism, numerous hotels were built, he embellished the port : gardens, fountains, trees... The train was his ally to develop tourism, they were numerous from the beginning of the XXth century to discover Sanary and to be seduced by the beauty and the quiet of this place.

Follow the steps of these tourists of the last century, you will not be disappointed. Between the deep blue of the sea and the purple colour of the cliffs, your eyes will be amazed. Around the small port, walk between scrubland, olive trees and vineyards, enjoy wine from Bandol… The vocation of Sanary for more than hundred years is reception, everything is made for you : numerous nautical activities, walk, hike, ride and trek, restaurants, accommodations in Provence. Y ou will enjoy your holidays in Provence.

Author : Orianne Tison

Licence Creative Commons

Specialities

Products from the Sea

You will sample in Sanary delicious fishes, shellfishes and seafood fished by people loving the sea and their port.

Marchés

- Weekly Market

It is a big fairground, food and textile market where you will find all which makes the best of Provence.

Monuments

- Notre Dame de Pitié's Chapel

Small chapel from the XVIth century, it is away from the city. The view you will discover there is sublime : The bay of Sanary and hills of Toulon.

L'église St Nazaire à Sanary sur Mer

- Saint Nazaire's Church

This church was rebuilt in the XIXth century in a neo-medieval style. It is an alive church : new frescoes regularly come to enrich it and numerous shows are organized there.

La tour carrée

- Square Tour

It is a monumental tower built in 1300, it measures 21 meters heigh. It is the historic point of departure of Sanary sur mer, in the XVIth century it was transformed into a jail. Nowadays it shelters the Frédéric Dumas museum.

Musées

- Musée Frédéric DUMAS

The Fredéric Dumas Museum of Diving is partially sheltered in the famous Square Tower. The public will be able to discover there historic equipments of diving and numerous quiet unique objects. Philippe Taillez, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Frédéric Dumas are native from the town and are real pioneers of submarine dive.

Avenue Gallieni Tél. : 04 94 34 76 76

Events

Useful addresses

- City hall
1 place de la République
Tel: 04 94 32 97 00

- Tourist office
1 quai du Levant
Tel: 04 94 74 01 04

- Fire Brigade
Tel: 04 94 25 30 70

- Municipal Police
Tel: 04 94 88 48 86

- Police Station
Tel: 04 94 88 53 30

Site map

Plan Sanary sur Mer Carte Provence

Access

By car
From Paris to Aix-en-Provence take highway A7
then take highway A50, which connects Aix en Provence to Sanary (45mn), exit : Bandol

Distance from towns

Six-Fours-les-Plages > 4 km, Ollioules > 5 km, Bandol > 5,5 km, La Seyne sur Mer > 9,5 km, La Cadière d'Azur > 11 km, Toulon > 12 km, Le Beausset > 14 km, La Ciotat > 30 km, Hyères > 31 km, Cassis > 35 km, Toulon-Hyères Airport > 36 km, Giens > 41 km, Porquerolles > 42 km, Le Lavandou > 52 km, Marseille> 54 km, Aix en Provence > 72 km, Marseille Provence Airport > 79 km, Saint Tropez > 80,5 km, Cavalaire-sur-Mer > 87 km, Pertuis > 97 km, Saint-Raphaël > 106 km, Salon de Provence > 106 km, Lourmarin > 110 km, Bonnieux > 121 km, Cavaillon > 128 km, Apt en Provence > 129 km, Manosque > 130 km, Cannes > 133 km, Gordes > 137 km, Roussillon > 138 km, Isle sur la Sorgue > 139 km, Fontaine de Vaucluse > 142 km, Saint Remy de Provence > 143 km, Menerbes > 144 km, Arles > 145 km, Avignon > 158 km, Nice > 161 km, Nimes > 176 km, Sault > 179 km, Pont du Gard > 207 km,