My daughter has invited us to spend Thanksgiving at a home she’s renting with her boyfriend in Grimaud. Anyone familiar with this area? Looking for things to do (wineries, restaurants) and what can we expect for weather. We have been to Provence and would willingly go again but it looks to be 2 hours away. This is more of a casual family gathering vs needing to hit all the sights. His family is flying in for the holiday as well.
Posted by
Paris
7300 posts
November is low season, and there can be bouts of heavy rains (usually not long). However, low season is not necessarily a bad thing, because high season can be hectic.
In the area:
You can visit St Tropez without the crowds, for starters, and the rest of St Tropez peninsula (incl. Ramatuelle village). La Garde Freinet immediately to the north of Grimaud is quite charming (probably a bit dead in Nov though), and Collobrières to the west is also a lovely village, famous for chestnuts (try the candied chestnuts! Fall is chestnut season). If you go to Collobrières, try to visit nearby Chartreuse de la Verne. It is a working monastery. The isolation is impressive.
The coast between Le Lavandou & Cavalaire is beautiful, worth driving along. Two places to stop: Bormes village (just north of Le Lavandou), and the Rayol botanical garden (but perhaps not at its best at Thanksgiving).
Further afield:
- Le Thoronet Abbey is beautiful and very atmospheric
- Verdon gorge south rim is a feasible day trip (<2 hr drive)
- Antibes & St Paul de Vence as well. Not Nice, too far.
- The Esterel coastal road between St Raphael & Mandelieu is simply stunning
Posted by
OP
FL
99 posts
Thank you, Balso - very helpful!