St Tropez , Cannes, Nice

To the east, former fishing port and now chic seaside resort, St Tropez, with its smart people,  haute couture, and luxury yachts,  is 45 minutes drive away. The old port area is still charming  and there is a delightful art gallery.  Beyond are many resorts stretching to Cannes, Antibes, Nice,  and Monaco.  Nice  especially  has many attractions.  The whole area is well known for its  great painters, and you can visit  the studios , former residences and  galleries  of Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Leger and Chagall.    Most resorts also have  their beautiful old hill villages  perched above them ( like Bormes itself).   Visit Grimaud, St Paul de Vence, Eyze, and Grasse ( its lavender fields making it the centreof the perfume industry.

Hyeres, Toulon,  Cassis, Marseille

To the west along the coast is the pleasant town of Hyeres( 20 minutes)  known for its magnificent palm trees, with a medieval centre  and gorgeous 19th century houses  dating from the many years Queen Victoria  and her court came to soak up winter sunshine. The American novelist Edith Wharton also lived here.  The major naval port of Toulon   is 45 minutes away  with its fine bay, naval museum and cable acr up to the mountain behind the town.  Then come numerous small resorts, icluding Cassis, where you can take a boat trip  to see the fabulous calenques ( rather like fjords).  Marseille is worth a trip, a big city with a fine old port and a cathedral with magnificent views.

Aix en Provence,  Avignon, Nimes, Arles

Inland there are many beautiful Provencal villages , streching back to the impressuive Gorge  du Verdon ( 2 hours away).  There are also the famous old provencal towns close to one another amd betweem 1-2 hours drive from Bormes.  Aix en Provence has a beautiful old quarter,  the house of Cezanne, and cultural festivals.  Avignon has the stupendous Papal Palace, while Arles and Nimes  have fine Roman remains. The Nimes Coliseum and the nearby Pont du Gard, a gigantic bridge and aqueduct, are the most impressuive Roman monuments in France.  The audio  guide to the history of gladiators in  the Nimes arena is an eye opening tour de force. Just beyond Arles lies the Camargue, famed for its wetlands and its wild white horses.