Fréjus Overview

The main attractions of Fréjus (fray-jooss; pop. 52,000), founded by Julius Caesar, are relics of its Roman role. The town’s ruins—situated among cafes, modern shops, and high-rise apartments—have earned it the nickname “Pompeii of Provence.” A superb hostel and an eclectic array of sights make Fréjus a welcome change from the beach party next door in St-Raphaël, although the city outside of the historical center and port is spread out and rather ugly.

• Trains: Rue Martin Bidoure (☎08 92 35 35 35). St-Raphaël receives most trains.
• Buses: Pl. Paul Vernet (☎04 94 53 78 46), next to the tourist office. Open M-F 8:30am-noon and 2-5:30pm, Sa 9am-noon. To St-Raphaël (M-Sa until 7:10pm, Su 6:05pm; later July-Aug.); ask for schedules at the tourist office.
• Local Transportation: Pl. Paul Vernet. Local buses (€1.10) connect the vieille ville to the beach.
• Taxis: ☎04 94 51 51 12.

Orientation And Practical Information

• Tourist Office: 325 rue Jean Jaurès (☎04 94 51 83 83; www.ville-frejus.fr). From St-Raphaël, take bus #6 to pl. Paul Vernet (€1.10). 2hr. guided tours July-Aug. Tu and Th-F; €5, students €3. Open June-Sept. daily 9am-7pm; Oct.-Mar. M-Sa 9:30am-noon and 2-6pm, Su 9:30am-noon; Apr.-May daily 9:30am-6pm.
• Laundromat: La Pastorale, 132 rue Grisolle (☎06 08 88 49 70). Wash €4-5, dry €0.60 per 10min.
• Police: Rue de Triberg (☎04 94 51 90 00).
• Crisis Line: SOS Médecins (☎04 94 62 06 76).
• Pharmacy: 62 rue du Général de Gaulle (☎04 94 51 28 98).
• Hospital: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, 240 av. de St-Lambert (☎04 94 40 21 21), on the corner of av. André Léotard.
• Post Office: Av. Aristide Briand (☎04 94 17 60 80), downhill from the tourist office. Open M-F 8am-6:30pm, Sa 8am-12:30pm. Postal Code: 83600.

Accommodations

Fréjus’s 7km beach, a 20min. walk from the centre-ville, is closer to St-Raphaël than to Fréjus—making a stay in Fréjus advisable only to those coming for the vieille ville and its surrounding sights.

• Auberge de Jeunesse de St-Raphaël-Fréjus (HI), chemin du Counillier (☎04 94 53 18 75; frejus-st-raphael@fuaj.org). From the Fréjus tourist office, take av. du 15ème Corps d’Armée. After passing 2 roundabouts, turn left on chemin de Counillier (30min.). Alternatively, bus #10 (€1.10) leaves from behind the bus station for the hostel at 7:09 and 9:04pm. From St-Raphaël, buses (1 per hr. 7:20am-7pm) head to Les Chênes (or Paul Vernet, a farther but more frequent stop). From Les Chênes, walk up av. Jean Calliès to chemin du Counillier; from Paul Vernet, follow directions from the tourist office. There is a shuttle from the hostel to the beach and to the St-Raphaël train station (M-Sa 8:40am, 11:20am, Su 9:20am), and bus #10 makes the reverse trip at 6:45pm. Among the Côte d’Azur’s best hostels. Peaceful 170-acre spread of parkland. Ask the knowledgeable staff about discounts on canoe rentals, sailing lessons, and ferry tickets. Small kitchen open 6-9pm. Beer €1.50. Breakfast included. Laundry €3. Internet €3 per hr. Bike rental €7 per day. Reception 8am-noon and 6:30-11pm; phone during these hours for reservations. Lockout noon-5:30pm. Open Mar.-Oct. Camping €10 per person with tent. Dorms €13; quads with shower and toilet €16. Cash only.
• Hôtel La Riviera, 90 rue Grisolle (☎04 94 51 31 46; fax 17 18 34), in the historic center. Functional rooms and a popular brasserie. Breakfast €6. Reception Tu-Su 2-6pm. Reservations required in summer. Singles and doubles €35-40, with shower and toilet €45; triples and quads €60. MC/V.

Food

The Provençal market fills rue de Fleury and place Formigé with fruits, vegetables, and handmade trinkets (W and Sa mornings). Bus #10 drops shoppers off directly. There’s a Casino supermarket on the corner of av. du 15ème Corps de l’Armée and av. André Léotard, at the second roundabout on the way to the hostel. (Open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm, Su 8:30am-12:30pm. MC/V.) Budget restaurants cluster around place de la Liberté and place Paul-Albert Février.

• Chez Bananes, rue St-François de Paul (☎04 94 44 15 71), off rue Juan Jaurès. Unique twists on classic dishes. Innovative owner/chef incorporates fresh fruit into pastas (€7-11) and meat plat s (€11-15). Open daily 10am-10pm. AmEx/MC/V.
• Les Micocouliers, pl. Paul-Albert Février (☎04 94 52 16 52). Classic regional dishes like daube de boeuf à la provençale (beef stew with Provençal-style marinade; €14) and soupe au poissons (fish soup; €9.20) on shaded, yellow outdoor tables. Pasta €8. Menu provençal €17. Open daily noon-2:30pm and 6:30-10pm. MC/V.

Sights

A Fréjus sight pass (€4.60) includes admission to the amphitheater, theater, archaeological museum, and several other sights; inquire at sights.

Episcopal Buildings. Resting on what is presumed to be the site of the ancient Roman town center, the Episcopal Buildings make a good starting point for all things Roman in Fréjus. Today, the baptistry, cloister, and cathedral retain their position at the heart of the vieille ville. Exposed walls and a floor of uneven stone slabs reveal 2000 years of building and rebuilding. The octagonal baptistry, constructed in the AD fifth century and now visible only through a glass wall, is one of France’s oldest buildings. The spectacular 12th- to 14th-century cloister contains a wood ceiling decorated with over 1200 miniature paintings of medieval life and fantastical creatures. Next door, Gothic cathedral doors depict devastating 10th-century Saracen raids on Fréjus while the interior displays an impressive church organ, gilded altarpieces, and dramatically lit relief sculptures. (58 Rue de Fleury. ☎04 94 51 26 30. Cloister open June-Sept. daily 9am-6:30pm; Oct.-May Tu-Su 9am-noon and 2-5pm. Doors and baptistry accessible only by 40min. guided tour in French; English info available. €5, students €3.50, under 18 free.)

Roman Amphitheater. Built in the AD first and second centuries to entertain 10,000 rowdy, homesick soldiers, the Roman amphitheater lacks the embellishments of those in Arles or Nîmes. While those theaters were designed for more discerning patrician eyes, Christians and lions were slaughtered here just as frequently as they were in Rome. Today, stands are built into the ruins to accommodate concerts and bullfights. (Rue Henri Vadon. ☎04 94 51 34 31. Open May-Oct. daily 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-6pm; Nov.-Apr. Tu-Su 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-5pm. €2. Contact tourist office for concert and bullfight schedule.)

Roman Theater. The original wall of Fréjus’s other ancient forum remains intact; the rest now hosts concerts and plays. In July, the remains of the theater are turned into an outdoor performance space for Les Nuits Auréliennes, a weeklong theater festival. (From the roundabout at the tourist office, walk 250m on rue Grande Bretagne. ☎04 94 53 58 75. Open May-Oct. daily 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-6pm; Nov.-Apr. Tu-Su 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-5pm. €2. Theater festival tickets from €33.)

Base Nature. Outdoor enthusiasts shouldn’t miss this 150-acre former military base, on some of the best beaches in the area, reserved for all things extreme. Areas are designated for basketball, BMX biking, football, rugby, skateboarding, and swimming. In October, the converted airplane hangar houses Roc d’Azur, billed as the world’s largest all-terrain biking competition. (From pl. Paul Vernet, take bus #9 (dir.: St-Raphaël, 15min., €1.10) to Base Aeronavale. ☎04 94 51 91 10. Open daily June-Sept. 8am-9pm; Oct.-May 8am-6pm. Call for equipment rental prices.)