Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer travel guide

Visit Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France)

Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer is a town and resort on the Cote d'Azur to the north-west of Bandol and Sanary-sur-Mer. Originally several villages that have now 'merged' into one town, the ports of Les Lecques and La Madrague are now considered part of the same community, and Les Lecques is the region with the main beach resort.

Exploring Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer

France This Way review: Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer is a pleasant resort for those searching for a destination with an accessible beach and seafront cafes and activities in easy reach, but there is not a lot else to do in the town so personally we would choose to be somewhere a bit more varied such as Sanary-sur-Mer...but we are not beach enthusiasts!

On arriving in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer the first thing that strikes you is the attractive coastal setting, backed by a mix of pine forests and vineyards. The seafront here includes a pleasant beach and the pleasure ports, and there are numerous restaurants along the coast and near the ports.

There are three ports along the coast at Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer: the Vieux Port des Lecques and the Nouveau Port des Lecques are next to each other at the nothern end of the beach and the Port de la Madraque is to the south. None of these are large enough to contain the large yachts you will see elsewhere on the Cote d'Azur so are used by much smaller pleasure boats.

Away from the coast, the town itself is pleasant with an interesting selection of highlights, including some Roman ruins displayed at the Museum of Tauroentum (showing the vestiges of a Roman villa) in Les Lecques. The mosaics are the highlight of a visit to the museum.

Perhaps the most curious highlight in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer is found in Place Portalis. Here you can see a 'mini Statue of Liberty', which is an exact replica of the New York statue, but smaller and coated in gold. It was made by Bartholdi, the same sculptor as the original.

Beaches at Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer

The long sandy beach in Les Lecques is the main centre of activity in the town in the summer, and has many nautical activities available (although there is a parking charge to visit). There is also a much smaller beach in La Madrague to the south, more intimate and a mix of sand and pebbles. Both of the beaches are very popular with families.

You will find other small pebble beaches if you follow the coast path towards Bandol, including a very scenic little beach at Port d'Alon.

Golf enthusiasts will enjoy the golf course just outside Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer which is on the coast and has lovely views out to sea.

Attractions nearby

There is an attractive path along the coast that runs from La Madrague in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and on to Bandol, and a shorter marked walk also from La Madrague which takes you through the vineyards and countryside. Another coastal highlight here is the Calanque of Port d'Alon (although access is limited in the summer).

Children will enjoy visiting the Aqualand Parc just south-east of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer which has a multitude of water slides, swimming pools and other water based activities. Great fun but the admission price of 25 euros (18 euros for children up to 12) might stop you taking them as often as they would like!

To the west you can follow the coast road along the cliffs between La Ciotat and Cassis then take a boat trip along the Marseille calanques - a lovely day out!

See more seaside resorts in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Var guide and the Provence guide.