The districts of Anthéor and Trayas in Saint-Raphaël are home to some of the most beautiful wild creeks on the French Riviera. Each one more beautiful than the other, the creeks follow one another along the entire Corniche d’Or road. The question is now: “which calanque to choose?” especially if it is the first time you come. The ideal would be to test them all but if I had to choose one, I would recommend without hesitation the calanque of Saint-Barthélémy, my favourite of all! Moreover, it is the first cove I visited in 2014 among all the coves of Trayas. Then I explored others but my favourite was the calanque of Saint-Barthélémy. Its wild scenery, its pine trees and its natural pools seen from above had dazzled me. It is an ideal spot for snorkeling on the French Riviera.
The panorama is all the more extraordinary as it is located at the foot of the Rock of Saint-Barthélémy. This gives it an exceptional “postcard” setting, with the red rock contrasting with the azure blue of the Mediterranean and the green of the vegetation that covers a good part of the rocks.
1. The location
📍 1800 route de Saint-Barthélémy, 83530 Agay
You have to drive along the whole Corniche d’Or road and stop at the car park which is at the foot of the big rock of Saint-Barthélémy. The place is correctly located on Google maps.
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Wild cove, transparent and turquoise water. an ideal place for snorkeling
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2. Access to the calanque of saint-barthélémy
Access is fairly easy. Although… You will still find some steep downward steps that will take you to the gates of the earthly paradise. The stairs are well laid out and you will be amazed by the view of the transparent turquoise water. This being said, keep a cool head and descend carefully for 5 minutes!
3. The timetable
No specific time has been set.
Just a little advice: come as early as possible to both find a parking space easily and above all to be able to appreciate the place and feel the magic that emanates from it. Indeed, victim of its success for its paradisiacal panorama, the red gravel cove is only twenty meters long and is far too small to welcome everyone. To avoid the crowds, you can land directly on the rock with your towel as I like to do. This requires a bit of climbing but nothing too bad.
4. Activities to do
There is something for everyone!
Whether it’s paddle, kayak, buoy, diving or snorkeling, you’ll find what you want.
For me, snorkeling is my favorite activity when I go to the creeks of the Esterel. The seabed is infinitely beautiful; the water is clear and clean. The fish are very varied. You will even find underwater cavities where you can have fun going from one side to the other. Of course, this is only if you are a good swimmer. Some of the rocks have been detached from the main rock, creating secret passages and natural azure pools that you can’t get enough of.
I really like also paddle boarding. For me, this creek parts of one of the best spot for paddle in the French riviera.
5. Where to eat? Where to drink?
There are no restaurants or snack bars nearby. So you have to prepare your own picnic. You should therefore do some shopping before spending a day in the cove.
That said, a supply boat passes by every two hours in high season if necessary (bottle of water, ice creams, snacks, chips… will be offered to you).
So, did this article make you want to go there?
