Something of the wilder Provence remains in the Var where the coastline becomes rockier, burning red and more scrubby.

St Raphaël with its sandy beach, promenade and Art Nouveau buildings is simpler, old style chic. A short drive away inland is Fréjus, known for its two historic Roman sites.

Tucked away at the tip of a peninsula, St Tropez holds court to the rich, the beautiful, the famous and the curious. Over the last 10 years it has smartened up its act considerably but some parts still feel a bit tacky. Its reputation draws big crowds in coaches early in the season. The town has no railway station so departing day trippers often clog the streets in the evenings.

St Tropez

Despite expensive yachts continuing to outnumber the fishing boats in the village harbour, life carries on in the Place des Lices with the morning market. The supermarkets and local shops, set back from the front, sell less glamorous everyday items. The tiny streets, lit up at night, include the usual exclusive shops, and on a warm evening there is the walk up to the ramparts.

There are nearby beaches including Pamplona and Tahiti, some of which are served by frequent mini buses from St Tropez. Parking charges by the sand are high.

Hyères, the oldest resort on the Côte, perching on the slopes of Casteou hill, is surrounded by orchards and vineyards with date palms on almost every street. The flag stoned Place Massillon has a daily market, terraced cafés and a 12th century tower. Cobbled paths lead up to the Parc St Bernard crammed with practically every type of flower indigenous to the Mediterranean. The Port d’Hyères has sailings to the nearby Iles d’Hyères.

White Horses of the Camargue

Ile de Porquerolles is the most accessible and the only cultivated island in the trio. For a glimpse of what the mainland was once like – wild and scented with undeveloped fine sand beaches - the Iles d’Hyères is it.

Inland, the Massif des Maures, running some 65 km between Hyères and Fréjus, is equally unspoilt. The roads drop, curl and loop, with the vine clad, sunlit slopes punctuated by umbrella pines, cork oaks and sweet chestnut trees. This is Provence in all its muscular scents and colours. Village orientated, the few locals rely on the land for their livelihood, not sun cream and the latest beach necessities.

The D558 offers the most direct route to the ancient village of Collobrières where the Confiserie Azurienne reflects the area’s reliance on the chestnut with practically every confection based on the nut - including the delicious marrons glacés.