The creator of a stunning little port town has been able to recreate the magic of Venice and mix it with the charm of the French Riviera. Port Grimaud is a seaside town part of the commune of Grimaud in the Var Department located in southeastern France.
Positioned just a few kilometres west of Saint-Tropez, Port Grimaud features canals, colourful houses and little bridges that make it easier to navigate the mostly traffic-free area.
Everything in Port Grimaud strongly reminds of Venice, in northeastern Italy, and the similarities are embraced even by locals, with Grimaud’s tourism board calling the town on its website the “Little Venice of Provence”.
However, unlike Venice, the Port Grimaud is only a few decades old. Previously a swamp, the port was created by architect François Spoerry in the 1960s by modifying the marshes of the river Giscle on the bay of Saint-Tropez.
READ MORE: ‘Going through hell’ – Locals inside Europe’s ‘most dangerous city’ slam Macron
While it does remind of Venice, Port Grimaud is far from being a carbon copy of the Floating City. Rather, its architecture is heavily inspired by typical Provençal style houses that can be found in Saint-Tropez.
Moreover, its history is tightly linked to the French Riviera, and takes its name from the Grimaldi family, who are still leading the nearby principality of Monaco.
A visit to Port Grimaud is worth not just to enjoy a beautiful meal on a canal but also to explore its landmarks.
Among them is the imposing Église Saint-François d’Assise, an ecumenical church opened in 1973. Mr Spoerry, who died in 1999, was laid to rest in this stunning building.
Don’t miss…
Pontins announces immediate closure of two of UK’s most notorious seaside parks[INSIGHT]
Seaside town frantically gets new Christmas tree after ‘pathetic’ first effort[REPORT]
The beautiful town dubbed Spain’s answer to Capri without hoards of tourists[PICTURES]
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
Another showstopper in the town is its monumental fountain. Decorated with Azulejos glazed tiles, this stunning feature bears a portrait of the founder of Port Grimaud.
Much like Venice, the town can be visited by walking across its many bridges or renting a boat and travelling through the charming canals.
Among those who paid a visit is internet user Julie Q, who praised the town on the travel website Tripadvisor by writing: “It’s a fascinating place – so much water/canals/beautiful boats of various sizes and plenty of shops to browse, cafes to enjoy and very pretty back streets. Hiring a speedboat was very easy so we all enjoyed a great day out around the coast past St Tropez.”
Similarly, Dmitrii Marinkevich wrote in a review shared on the website: “We fell in love with this place. It’s charming. It’s surprisingly not mentioned in most of the Cote d’Azur reviews. Look at the photos, look at the satellite maps of it. It’s so nice to walk on the streets that are surrounded by the sea water.”
And a Tripadvisor user with the nickname NormandInLondon added: “I’ve been coming here for 20 years and it never fails to impress, though it has become undeniably touristy in recent years. In summer months, expect plenty of Instagramming couples on the main bridge.”
Despite the many tourists it attracts, Port Grimaud remains well worth a visit, the online reviewer added, particularly for its church.
Source: Read Full Article