Fréjus is one of the oldest towns on the Cote d'Azur. Founded under the name of Forum Julii in Roman times, it was a major naval base of the Mediterranean, of which arenas, a theatre, an aqueduct and the remains of an ancient port survive. In the Middle Ages, the town drew in around its episcopal city, with its cathedral, its baptistery and its cloister, which today form the historic core. This dual heritage, Roman and medieval, gives the town its singular character on the Var coast.
The town extends from the perched historic centre down to the gulf of Fréjus, where the seafront unfolds the Fréjus-Plage beach and the Port-Fréjus marina, built at the end of the twentieth century. To the south-west, the Saint-Aygulf seaside resort closes off the town with its beaches, its coves and its villas. To the east and north, the wooded hills of Valescure and Tour de Mare, facing the Esterel massif, are home to residential housing and the Valescure golf course. The districts to the west and north, denser or more outlying, make up the rest of the town.
This contrasting geography shapes a highly segmented property market. The coast and the eastern hills concentrate the highest prices, driven by sea views, beaches and a residential setting. The historic centre, partly old and in need of renovation, and the dense western districts such as Villeneuve remain the most affordable areas. Demand stays supported by the tourist appeal of the coast, the proximity of Saint-Raphaël with which Fréjus forms a conurbation, and the search for a second home facing the Mediterranean.
