!!!Cote d'Azur. Frejus and Saint Raphael

Photos by Stas Sedov
and Sergey Shandin,
members of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

18 April 2017

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

The Mediterranean coastline of the south-east corner of France is widely
known as the French Riviera (or the Côte d'Azur). The mild climate in
combination with breathtaking picturesque landscapes for centuries has
been attracting the amateurs of luxurious recreation. The most
recognised cities of the Côte d'Azur are Nice and Cannes, but the famous
coastline stretching from the Italian border to Toulon possesses many
other interesting places. AirPano invites to have a look at different
but not the less admirable corners of the French Riviera.

[{Image src='01_Frejus.jpg' caption='Cote d'Azur. Frejus\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

Forty kilometres to the west of Cannes there is Fréjus, an
administrative centre of the same-named canton. Julius Caesar founded
here the harbour for his navy. By the 14th century, the lands of Fréjus
had become totally Christian and it influenced the further architectural
development of the city. The monuments of the Roman period, fortifying
and port constructions, thermae, the amphitheatre and the aqueduct, have
survived till nowadays only in a dilapidated form. The reasons are
floods that occurred here and numerous Muslim invasions of the 7th-9th
centuries.

Now Fréjus is a major resort destination. Its sandy beaches are
stretching for more than seven kilometres; the city also owns the
largest zoo of the French Riviera and two aquaparks (including the
largest one on the whole coast). In addition, the architecture of the
city, both ancient and modern, can suggest Fréjus as an interesting
sightseeing destination.

[{Image src='02_Frejus.jpg' caption='Cote d'Azur. Saint-Raphael\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

The remnants of the Roman colonial constructions are all over the city.
The bullfights and other shows are held in the amphitheatre and the
theatre, while the Gallic gates and the walls of the fort are the good
reminders of the former glory of Julius Caesar's times.

In the 5th century the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Leontius of Fréjus,
was built in the city. The baptistery is the only remained part of the
cathedral and it is considered the oldest Christian structure in
Provence, and one of the oldest in France. Other Christian constructions
on the territory of Fréjus are the cathedral dated the 14th century, the
monastery of the 12th-14th centuries and the chapel Notre Dame de
Jérusalem.

[{Image src='03_Frejus.jpg' caption='Cote d'Azur. Saint-Raphael\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

Two kilometres away from Fréjus there is a Buddhist pagoda Hông Hiên Tu;
the Islamic culture is represented by Missiri Mosque built in the
1930ies for the needs of colonial soldiers. This mosque is a replica of
the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali, which is the largest mud-built
structure in the world. The walls of Missiri are covered with ochre, so
they are notable for their bright red colour.

Immediately to the east of Fréjus lies another town called
Saint-Raphaël, previously a small fishing village. Now together they
form an urban agglomeration known as Fréjus Saint-Raphaël. In 1799
Napoleon Bonaparte and his forces arrived here by ship from Egypt and
landed at a small village that was the commune of Saint-Raphaël. The
other great military story associated with Saint-Raphaël is referred to
World War II: on August 15, 1944, it was the site of a beach landing in
Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France.

[{Image src='04_Frejus.jpg' caption='Cote d'Azur. Saint-Raphael\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

As for the architectural monuments of Saint-Raphaël, there are the
remnants of a medieval fortress, the Church Notre Dame de la Victoire,
and the Templar's cathedral dated the 12th century; in the
archaeological museum, one can find different historical items that were
found around the city. But the most precious thing of Saint-Raphaël is
the long beach that stretches for 40 kilometres. It is covered by sand
and gravel and framed by the red-stone rocks.

[{Image src='05_Frejus.jpg' caption='Cote d'Azur. Frejus\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false'}]

The most famous writers, such as Guy de Maupassant and Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry, chose this place for their vacations, while Charles
Gounod wrote here his famous opera Roméo et Juliette. We hope that our
virtual tour to these marvellous places will bring you not the less
inspiration and truly positive emotions.

\\ \\
[5 panoramas of Cote d'Azur. Frejus and Saint Raphael|Geography/Europe/France/Pictures/Frejus]

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