Les Issambres

Les Issambres, village beach in San Peïre.
Tourist poster from the 1930s. The sailing center in the foreground and the conspicuous Hotel "La Résidence" in the background.
Localisation on Var's map

Les Issambres is the seaside and holiday destination of commune de Roquebrune-sur-Argens, France. It stretches along 8 km of inlets and fine sandy beaches. Its incarnation as a resort took place in the 1930s with the development of Hotel La Résidence (now named Hôtel club Vacanciel des Issambres) above the La Garonette Beach. Clearly conspicuous from the sea it is located in the valley Val d' Esquieres that Les Issambres share with the commune of Sainte Maxime. Eastwards on the beach is the sailing center with boat rentals and a sailing school, a protected boat harbour with some marine shops, dive center and restaurants. There is a ferry Les Bateaux Verts that takes passengers to the Sainte Maxime harbour or Saint Tropez.

On August 15, 1944, the beaches of Saint Tropez, Sainte Maxime and Les Issambres were at the center of Operation Dragoon, the invasion and liberation of Southern France during World War II. US Delta Force from 93rd Evac landed there.[1] Just by the beach entrance to La Garonette there is a memorial of the beach landing honoring the US troops. The sailing centre is named La Batterie as it was the location of a German artillery battery.

Further to the east is the village San-Peïre sur mer that has grown gradually after WW2. This is really the centre of the destination with shops, restaurants, hotels, promenade, village beach and a town square with a Monday outdoor market, post and tourist office. Continuing eastwards there is a winding coastline with creeks, rocks and "calanques" versus Saint- Aygulf (Fréjus commune). There are numerous nature trails including a coastline trail leading to a 2000-year-old Roman fishpond. Many private houses are climbing up the mountain hills. However virtually all buildings – including hotels – keep a low profile to the contrary to locations further east on the French Riviera.

See also

References

  1. ↑ US Veteran Chapter 0049

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roquebrune-sur-Argens.