Surf or Turf? Why Not Both

A trip to the historic town of Grimaud goes hand in hand with a visit to Port Grimaud (its “sister” town separated by a mere few miles). The difference being that Grimaud is a medieval hilltop town situated inland, while Port Grimaud as the name implies lies on the water. Before making our visit, we also learned that Port Grimaud came to be just about 60+ years ago, a man-made town built upon marshes of the river Giscle, converted into beautiful water channels and homes equipped with their own boat landings. Some dub it the French Venice and that alone makes it intriguing enough to see.

We started our day with Grimaud which became visible on approach from route D558 about half-mile out. Grimaud holds ties to the House of Grimaldi (hence its name), which is associated with the Republic of Genoa and Principality of Monaco. The Grimaud Castle beset on the zenith of the town’s hill speaks of a flourishing past as well as a darker period during the Middle Ages when the townspeople sought refuge (sheltering themselves from invasions and the plague). Château de Grimaud is about 1,000 years old and stands partly in ruin today, full of grit and character. The views from the castle (even on a cloudy day), were marvelous. The town’s intricate and expressive streets posed well and after a satisfying walk we sat for lunch in a welcoming mini plaza setting.

The drive to Port Grimaud (10 mins or so from Grimaud), terminated outside the village walls as vehicle access is seemingly restricted to residents. We meandered around town and hoped the rain in the forecast would stay away. It did for the most part allowing us to capture architect François Spoerry’s masterpiece town. Warm pastel colors adorned the facades of the fisherman style houses while boats and yachts of all sizes added charm to the setting. Man-made or not, kitch or not, superfluous or not, this little Venice of the French Riviera made an impression. By mid afternoon the clouds started to give way to some sunshine which boded well for out little electric boat ride down the channels.

Our day would not have been complete without pairing Grimaud and Port Grimaud for a two-for-one day trip. We loved Grimaud and talked about returning for a future visit (perhaps in Spring). Seeing Port Grimaud from the water rounded out the experience, I would recommend this to anyone considering a visit. Not to mention the girls’ favorite part of the day was our little boat ride.