quieter

WHEN it comes to holidaying in the south of France, most Brits will flock to spots like Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

But for anyone wanting the beauty of the French Riviera without the crowds, then this small town might be perfect for your next break.

The beautiful Sanary-sur-Mer is in the Côte d’Azur region found between Toulon and Marseille.

It’s classically French and sees much fewer tourists than other seaside towns and cities along the Mediterranean coast.

Yet it still has everything Brits want from a French town, from food markets to pretty beaches and a relaxed Riviera vibe.

One woman who moved to the Côte d’Azur even called Sanary-sur-Mer a “lesser-known gem along France’s south coast”, when writing in Business Insider.

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She added that other locals called Sanary-sur-Mer one of the “nicest places in the area”.

The town sits around a harbour which has also been called one of France’s most beautiful ports.

Along with the harbour, there are plenty of sandy spots to take a dip into the sea and relax on the sands.

Some of the most popular beaches include Lido, Plage Dorée, and Portissol Beach.

Another attraction is the Eglise Saint Nazaire de Sanary-sur-Mer, a church with large murals just minutes from the harbour.

The Tour de Sanary, a historic tower is also a popular stop as visitors can get impressive panoramic views of the sea, harbour, and even the mountains.

The commune has lots of markets too where you can pick up food or even souvenirs.

There’s a large weekly market on Wednesdays, a daily food market and fishermen’s stalls by the front.

There’s also an artisanal night market that runs each day during the summer usually from late June to early September, from around 7.30 PM to midnight.

From Sanary-sur-Mer you can hop on a 20-minute ferry to the island of Embiez that’s described as a “nature paradise”.

It’s a car-free island which tourists can explore by foot or bike – a trek around the whole island takes between one to two and a half hours.

There’s also a tourist train which visitors can hop on and off.

For any fans of watersports, here you can try kayaking, paddleboarding and discover hidden coasts around the coastline.

The nearest major airports to Sanary-sur-Mer are Marseille Provence Airport and Toulon-Hyères Airport.

From the UK, Brits can head to Marseille Airport with flights from £23 each way – direct routes fly from London Stansted with Ryanair and London Gatwick with easyJet.

The ‘Pearl of the Riviera’ is the warmest town in the region has 300 days of sunshine and lemon festivals…

Located on the border between France and Italy, the seaside town of Menton has been dubbed the “Pearl of the Riviera” by holidaymakers.

Home to pastel-coloured buildings, quaint streets, a picturesque harbour and vast lemon groves, Menton is picture perfect.

Before officially becoming part of France in 1860, Menton had been part of Sardinia and Monaco.

In the middle of the 19^th century, Menton broke away from Monaco after heavy tax impositions were imposed on its lemon trade, which was its main industry.

Every year, the town holds a lemon festival to celebrate the production of citrus fruits in the seaside town.

Menton is the last large town on the border between France and Italy, which means there are several attractions geared towards tourists.

The largest beach in Menton is Les Sablettes Beach, which is a mixture of fine gravel and sand.

Its shallow waters are ideal for younger holidaymakers, with showers and toilets also found at the beach in the summer months.

The promenade is lined with palm trees, pergolas and water fountains, providing holidaymakers with plenty of spots to relax in the shade.

Nearby are a number of restaurants, shops and cafes like Marché Beach, which stretches from the Jean Cocteau Museum to Menton Casino.

For more in Provence, discover Europe’s ‘Grand Canyon’ that looks more like America, with huge mountains and bright blue rivers.

And on this tiny French peninsula you can spot pink flamingos in the wild – and there are barely any tourists.

A TRIP to the Maldives is a bucket list destination, but is often seen as an expensive holiday.

But the beautiful islands can easily be done on a budget, with some hotel rooms a fraction of the price.

Most holidaymakers head to private island resorts, where prices can soar past £1,000 a night.

Yet local islands are starting to open up to tourists, with more affordable hotels.

There are more than 1,100 islands in the Maldives, with around 200 inhabited that welcome tourists.

They are also much cheaper to get to as well, with the ferries a fraction of the price of seaplanes which can be hundreds per person.

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So we’ve rounded up some of the more affordable islands you can book, as well as how to get there and what to do.

Maafushi

One of the best budget islands in the Maldives is Maafushi.

It’s small, so you can walk to each end in about 30 minutes.

Getting to the island from Male takes as ittle as 50 minutes by boat, costing just a few dollars each way.

The only caution to be had on local islands is the dress code, meaning you shouldn’t be walking around in swimwear in town.

However, the popular bikini beach on the island allows holidaymakers to wear their swimwear – just remember to put clothes back on when heading back to your hotel.

Like all other islands, animal spotting trips are popular, including reef snorkelling , turtle watching and dolphin trips, most of which can be booked via the hotels.

Rather than luxury resorts, the guesthouses can be found for as little as £30.

This includes Alaika Guest House, which is a homestay with locals, or Arora Inn.

If you want some extra luxury, then a four star hotel in the island, Arena Beach Hotel, starts from £70 a night.

Thulusdhoo

Another affordable local island is Thulusdhoo.

It’s rather unusual claim to fame is having a Coca Cola factory on the island which is the only one to use desalinated water – and you can visit it.

The island also has a bikini beach where tourists can relax in their swimwear without needing to cover up.

But unlike other islands in the Maldives, some of the beaches are great for for surfing, popularised back in the 1970s.

This includes beaches such as Chickens (named after once being a chicken farm) and Cokes (named for its proximity to the factory).

Otherwise popular boat trips are to the local sandbanks.

Speed boats to the island take around 25 minutes, although the slower ferries are a more affordable option.

Ad when you get hungry, you’ll find a mix of local seafood and more international cuisines like Italian on the island.

Surf Trip is one of the cheapest guesthouses with rooms from £45, or stretch to the four star Season Paradise with rooms from £109.

Dhigurah

Also called Long Island, Dhigurah stretches nearly two miles long, although is only 275m wide.

More than half of the island is its bikini beach, so you can swim without worrying about covering up.

A lot of the island is jungle too, which is perfect for bike tours in the shade.

Otherwise Dhigurah is another great island for snorkelling, with turtles and manta rays in the area

This island takes slightly longer to get to, with speed boats between two and three hours.

And hotels are slightly pricier – the cheaper ones include Infinity Beach Dhigurah or Horizon Dhigurah, both around £75.