Fréjus still has a great many monuments from its past. Indeed, with 2,000 years of history behind it, this Town of Art and History in Var is steeped in historical and architectural heritage.
The Roman ruins are the oldest traces of its past and consist of an amphitheatre, a theatre and an aqueduct of which some pillars and arches remain. Dating from the end of the 1st century, the arena had room for nearly 12,000 spectators who came to watch the gladiatorial fights!
In the old town, Fréjus' group of episcopal buildings, erected between the 5th and 16th centuries, is also part of this remarkable heritage. It includes the beautiful Cathedral of St. Leontius, with its Romanesque bell tower and two naves interconnected by several archways. There is also the octagonal baptistery dating from the 5th century, one of the oldest in France, the former episcopal palace which is now the town hall, and the Romanesque cloister, whose wooden ceiling is decorated with real and imaginary characters and animals. The archaeological museum next to the cloister houses remarkable antique carvings found during excavations in the Roman town.
Also be sure to visit the Chapel of Our Lady of Jerusalem, designed by Jean Cocteau and dedicated to the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.
The marina, Port-Fréjus, and the sandy beach of Fréjus-Plage make this town in Var a much sought-after seaside resort. The Aqualand water park and the zoo, home to a hundred or so animal species from the five continents, will appeal to children and adults alike.
The remains of the Malpasset dam, which you can reach by hiking, show the devastation of the 1959 tragedy in which a wave nearly 40 metres high destroyed everything in its path, claiming more than 400 victims.
