Port Grimaud is a purpose-built waterfront village on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, designed in the 1960s by architect Francois Spoerry. The idea was audacious: create a lakeside Venice from scratch on a mosquito-infested swamp. The result — a network of canals, arched bridges, and colourful Provencal-style houses, each with its own mooring — divides opinion. Some find it kitsch; others think it is one of the most successful planned communities in Europe. Either way, it is undeniably pleasant to wander.
The best way to see Port Grimaud is by water. Electric boats can be rented to cruise the canals at a pace slow enough to appreciate the details — the carefully varied rooflines, the bougainvillea tumbling over balconies, the fishing boats tied up beside front doors. The Church of Saint-Francois-d'Assise, designed by Spoerry himself, has stained glass by Victor Vasarely and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views over the Gulf.
Port Grimaud sits just across the bay from Saint-Tropez, reachable by a short ferry ride. The beach at the entrance to the village is sandy and well-maintained, and several waterfront restaurants serve decent Provencal food at prices slightly less alarming than Saint-Tropez. It makes for a good half-day visit, especially if combined with a trip to the old hilltop village of Grimaud, about four kilometres inland.