Boat rental to Anthéor

Anthéor is a tiny settlement nestled between some of the most dramatic cliff scenery on the French Riviera. Here, the red porphyry cliffs of the Estérel massif plunge directly into the Mediterranean, creating a series of deep calanques — narrow inlets carved by millennia of waves crashing against volcanic rock.

The settlement is famous for the Anthéor viaduct, a spectacular railway bridge that spans a gorge directly above the sea. Built in the 19th century and rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II, it remains one of the most photographed structures on the Côte d'Azur — especially at sunset, when the red rock and iron bridge glow against the darkening sea.

The underwater world here is exceptional. Red porphyry walls continue below the surface, dropping 30 metres or more and covered in orange sea fans, sponges, and colourful marine life. Divers come from across Europe for the Estérel's underwater canyons, and snorkellers can explore the shallower calanques right from the shore.

Inland, the trail to Cap Roux (452m) is one of the finest hikes in Provence — a 3-hour climb through maquis scrubland to a summit with a 360° panorama stretching from the Alps to the Maures hills. The D559 coast road that passes through Anthéor is itself one of the most scenic drives in France. A boat rental from Saint-Tropez via Saint-Raphaël gets you here in 40 minutes, arriving dramatically beneath the towering red cliffs.