The houses in the town of Fréjus possess many quaint bits of architectural detail, amongst which the woodwork of the old doorways may be specially mentioned (Fig. 140). Similar telling and original specimens of wood and iron work, it may be remarked, are not uncommon throughout the Riviera. [Illustration: FIG. 140. DOORWAYS IN FRÉJUS] St Raphaël, a small town a few miles to the eastward, now forms the port of Fréjus. The mountainous district of “Les Maures,” which lies along the coast between Toulon and Fréjus, may either be visited from Hyères on the west (by diligence), or from St Raphaël on the east (by steamer). The latter mode forms a long but very pleasant day’s excursion. A small trading steamer leaves St Raphaël on certain days (mentioned in the “Indicateur”) at 8.30 a.m., and reaches St Tropez about 10.15, after a pleasant voyage round the headlands between the Gulf of Fréjus and that of Grimaud. St Tropez occupies the site of the ancient Heraclea Caccabaria, an important naval station in Roman times. The town has several times been destroyed by the Saracens and Corsairs, who in the ninth century took possession of the whole of the detached chain of mountains still called after them by the name of “Les Maures.” The sheltered gulf of Grimaud formed a fine harbour for their ships, and the port St Tropez was then a place from which a considerable trade was carried on with the African coast. In the later centuries it suffered the usual disturbances under Charles of Anjou, and in the wars of Religion. [Illustration: FIG. 141. ST TROPEZ.] The town still possesses some trade, and there is a fair number of coasting vessels in the harbour, to which, with their large brown sails, they give a peculiar and pleasing effect (Fig. 141). Some of the houses shew signs of having seen better days, but the whole place has a somewhat decayed and crumbling appearance. The town is surmounted by a castle, which was constructed in 1793, on the top of the hill to the south. It is surrounded with high walls loopholed for musketry and strengthened with bastions. The traffic in fish seems to be considerable, and is carried on in a dark vaulted market place, where the fish are exposed for sale, and where they are kept cooler than in the open air. The entrance to this fishy cave is somewhat picturesque (Fig. 142). [Illustration: FIG. 142. ENTRANCE TO FISHMARKET, ST TROPEZ.] [Illustration: FIG. 143. GRIMAUD FROM THE PLAIN.]