The history of the place begins in 1962, when architect and sailor, Francois Spoerry’s
dream began to come true. Designed in the style of a lakeside fishing village, it reflects
the beauty and colours of Venice, with houses painted in various shades of yellow ochre,
blues and pinks. The network of canals, flowing under small hump backed bridges, lead
down to the sea, with beaches on either side of the port access channel. On one side,
a beautiful curve of sand marks the quiet beach used mainly by residents
(or those on holiday) of Port Grimaud, and on the other side, a glorious stretch of
wide golden sand, for about 1 to 2 kilometres. Perfect for swimming, sunbathing and
a variety of water sports.
There is a water bus service, similar to the Venetian vaporetti and other
motoscafi, which runs all day, and gives you the opportunity to see Port Grimaud
by day. There are cafes and restaurants along the waterfronts, as well as
charming shops and boutiques. For your convenience there is a small
supermarket in the main square, or just 1.5 kilometres to the nearest
Geant Casino supermarket at La Foux. On Sundays and Thursdays there is a
market in the square, one of the most picturesque in the region, where you can
buy local produce as well as a wide variety of other goods.
St.Tropez, Ramatuelle, Gassin, St. Maxime and Frejus all have their own
colourful markets on other days of the week.