Coast/Beach/Aups:
Nearest beaches are St Maxime/St Tropez and Frejus, both around 60km.
The Lac St Croix, 15 minutes drive, has pebbly beaches and pedalos. Great for swimming.
Travel/Distance:
Both Nice (EasyJet) and Marseille (EasyJet and RyanAir) are 90 minutes drive. Toulon/St Tropez airport at Hyeres is served by RyanAir and is about 80 minutes away.
Nearest train station is Les Arcs/Draguignan, a 40 minute drive.
Regular guests also use the overnight Motorail service from Calais to Avignon, which is 2 hours drive distant.
Aups is a large medieval village with narrow winding streets to explore. Three butchers, three bakers, cafes and good local restaurants. Excellent market under the plane trees in the central square on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Intermarche Supermarket is on the edge of Aups towards Salernes or Casino Supermarket on the edge of Salernes.
Caisse Epargne and Credit Agricole Banks in Aups.
Pharmacy, English-speaking Doctor's surgery.
Aups Tourist Office next to La Mairie will give details of leisure activities and local places of interest. Local walking maps for the wooded hills behind Aups. The dramatic Gorges du Verdon, 25 minutes drive.
Distance:
Tourtour, the village in the sky - 15 minutes drive
Cotignac, very pretty with Tuesday market - 25 minutes drive.
Salernes, centre for tiles, Sunday market - 15 minutes drive
Draguignan, major shopping - 30 minutes drive.
Abbaye de Thoronet, fine C12th Cistercian Abbey - 35 minutes drive.
Seillans la Cascade waterfall - 1.
Ski:
Drive north to spend a night in Barcelonette for the ski slopes, about 2 1/2 hours distant
Golf:
St Endreol near Le Muy and Barbaroux, near Brignoles are about 40 minutes drive away with more courses in the Cannes area.