Sainte-Maxime: a socially responsible destination

Towns and villages in bloom

An award recognising excellence in the quality of life

Sainte-Maxime proudly bears the ‘Villes et Villages Fleuris’ award with a 3-flower rating, a national accolade awarded by the National Council of Flower-Filled Towns and Villages since 1959. This award recognises local authorities that are actively committed to improving the quality of life for their residents and the welcome they offer to visitors, whilst demonstrating a commitment to environmental protection and social cohesion.

An approach that goes far beyond simply planting flowers

In Sainte-Maxime, being awarded this label reflects a comprehensive and ambitious environmental policy. The town does not merely set about beautifying its public spaces: it takes concrete and sustainable action to preserve its local area and improve the quality of life for everyone.

Recent initiatives include:

Zero pesticides: maintenance of all green spaces without the use of plant protection products
Modernised street lighting using low-energy LED lamps
Combating beach erosion, notably through the construction of underwater breakwaters at La Nartelle and La Croisette
Planting of water-efficient Mediterranean species and greening of roundabouts
Watering of planters using treated wastewater
Mulching of flowerbeds to limit evaporation and reduce water requirements
Dedicated dog areas for the comfort of all walkers
Development of cycle paths and footpaths to promote safe, sustainable travel

All these initiatives make Sainte-Maxime a committed local authority, where floral displays go hand in hand with environmental responsibility and quality of life.

Natura 2000

In Sainte-Maxime, nature is a living heritage protected at European level through the ‘Natura 2000’ network. Established by the European Union to preserve the most remarkable species and habitats, this scheme aims to reconcile the protection of biodiversity with human activities, with a view to achieving a sustainable balance.

The plain and the Massif des Maures form part of these designated sites, covering nearly 34,000 hectares. This forested area, rich in both biological diversity and scenic beauty, is home to a wide variety of natural habitats and rare species. Sainte-Maxime is one of the 18 municipalities involved.

Among the iconic sites are the Saquèdes site and the David municipal estate, situated in the Garonnette valley. Covering 131 hectares, this area benefits from concrete conservation measures. Between 2016 and 2018, the town, with support from the State and the European Union, carried out selective brush-clearing work to recreate a mosaic of habitats favourable to protected species such as Hermann’s tortoise.

Today, the City continues to promote this site through educational, cultural and ecological projects, thereby reaffirming its commitment to sustainable development that respects its natural heritage.

Animal-Friendly City

Since 2022, Sainte-Maxime has held the ‘Animal-Friendly Town’ accreditation and been awarded the ‘3 Paws’ distinction for its work to promote animal welfare and species protection.

The council has set up a dedicated service, created dog parks, established a temporary cat shelter, and fitted its public spaces with poo bag dispensers. Stray cats are identified, neutered and monitored for health in partnership with local charities.

Training sessions are organised for council staff, and a protocol governs the management of stray or injured animals. The town is also taking action to promote biodiversity: protecting tern nests, signing up to the Pelagos Charter and supporting local beekeeping.

DOGS BY THE SEA

Two areas along the town’s coastline welcome dogs all year round:

the dog beach in the town centre, near the Préconil bridge
the land area of the Pointe des Sardinaux.

To preserve the quality of these areas and ensure that all visitors can enjoy them harmoniously, everyone is asked to behave responsibly. Dogs must be kept on a lead and their waste must be picked up without fail.

THE VIRGILES DOG PARK

Just a stone’s throw from the town centre, in the Virgiles neighbourhood, the Dog Park, developed by the local council, is a place of freedom, socialising and interaction, designed with the well-being of both dogs and their owners in mind. In this safe and friendly environment, dogs can roam freely off the lead (only category 2 dogs must be kept on a lead).

Outstanding Contemporary Architecture

Following the First World War and the growth of winter tourism, wealthy individuals commissioned beautiful villas from talented architects such as René Darde and Henri Bret. The quality of this heritage has earned Sainte-Maxime the ‘20th-Century Heritage’ label, a designation which evolved in 2016 to become the ‘Outstanding Contemporary Architecture’ label.

This label is awarded to buildings, architectural complexes, engineering structures and developments that were previously covered by the “20th-Century Heritage” label but are not classified or listed as historic monuments, provided they are structures less than 100 years old whose design is of architectural or technical interest.

The Pelagos Sanctuary

Covering an area of 87,500 km², the Pelagos Sanctuary aims to protect marine mammals and their habitats from all forms of disturbance. France, Italy and the Principality of Monaco have adopted joint management measures to ensure the sustainable conservation of this exceptional area.

Sainte-Maxime pays particular attention to ensuring the long-term survival of marine mammals in the Mediterranean Sea. For over 15 years, the town has been a signatory to the Pelagos Sanctuary partnership charter.

As such, it is committed to seeking, in its management and planning decisions, the solutions that have the least impact on these species.

The town also runs educational and awareness-raising initiatives within its area in collaboration with the Pelagos Sanctuary. It further works to minimise activities that impact marine animals and disseminates information on any strandings of cetaceans or other marine species that may occur within its territory.

Clean Ports

The port of Sainte-Maxime, which holds the ‘Ports Propres’ label, is actively committed to an exemplary approach to environmental protection and management.

As the only global certification specifically dedicated to the environment of marinas, the ISO 18725 standard ‘Ports Propres’ reflects a strong commitment on the part of marina operators to make concrete pledges to act in favour of the preservation of aquatic environments and the sustainable development of coastal and marine activities.

Ports Propres is the indispensable foundation for the marinas of tomorrow – sustainable and exemplary marinas.

Bathing Water Quality Policy

Keen to ensure optimal bathing conditions for its residents and visitors, the Town of Sainte-Maxime has committed to a rigorous programme of monitoring the quality of its waters. This commitment was recognised in 2015 when the town was awarded the “Bathing Water Quality Initiative” label, which attests to responsible management. Since then, Sainte-Maxime has been proud to hold a 3-star rating for its beaches, the highest level of excellence under this certification.

Rigorous monitoring throughout the season

The Gulf of Saint-Tropez Community of Communes carries out self-monitoring analyses as part of the certification process, enabling even more responsive monitoring. This system enables the Mayor to act swiftly: to close a beach to swimming in the event of non-compliant results, and then reopen it as soon as water quality is confirmed to be satisfactory once more.

Find out more

Family Plus

A family holiday is much more than just a break: it’s a time for getting together, sharing and discovering new things as a family. Since 2010, Sainte-Maxime has been proud to hold the national ‘Famille Plus’ label, a recognition that reflects the special attention paid to welcoming families and improving the facilities and services designed for them.

In Sainte-Maxime, this label translates into six concrete commitments: