Sainte Maxime got its name from a monk who died in 750 ac, and is celebrated every Mai with the Votive Feast in blue and white. Votive Feast Programme.

But the true birth dates from 1790, February 15th. Sainte Maxime has been constituted in district by the merger of two lordships.

For the story, we could only count at that time a single house between the present Tour carrée (Square Tour) and the original church.

- 1520 : Building of the Tour Carrée’s ground floor
- 1560 : Building of the first floor
- 1566 : The country is divided into parcels hired to the population

One hundred parcels were awarded to the ones who committed themselves to farm them. Thus was born the agricultural, pastoral and forest vocation of Sainte Maxime, followed by the birth of its little harbour.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the thousand of inhabitants lived largely from forest exploitation, vine and olive trees, cereals’ growing and cattle rearing, hunting and fishing. These products participated to the maritime and harbour activity (wood, wine and ore transport). Things have quite evolved !

Sainte Maxime, like all the villages of Provence, cultivates and commemorates throughout year, its feasts of long ago, which were often linked to the season cycle and to the fields activity. These feasts also gave the opportunity to the villagers to meet again and to forget their daily troubles.

The Votive Feast is not only Folklore, locals really live it and feel proud of it. Provençals perpetuate with faith and emotion these traditions and popular feasts.

 A large number of people only discovered Le Golfe de Saint Tropez with the end of the construction of the Frejus-Cogolin road.

Then painters (Signac, Matisse, Marquet, Bonnard...), novelists (Fitzgerald, Maupassant...), musiscians, passionate adventurers, nature and sun lovers came to discover the coast.

Thus, Tourism was born in the Var.

Newspapers relayed the experience of these pioneers. Then, a real demographic boom began, which never damaged the environment quality of the department.

 1706 : Appearance of the first houses of the current borough.
 1753 : 30 houses approximately.
 1815 : 130 houses.
 1862 : Arrival of the railroad in Fréjus (coming from Paris).
 1890 : The railroad is connected in Toulon by the small train of the littoral.

The railroad brings the first tourists and, by the same occasion, agricultural produces... competitor ! Today, the tourist economy supplanted agriculture even if, in the hill, the culture of the olive-tree, some farms and bee-keepers maintain the traditions...

 Demographic progression of Sainte-Maxime :
1800 : 964 listed inhabitants.
1901 : 1 122 inhabitants.
1946 : 2 653.
Today : 12 275 inhabitants at the year. 60 000 in estival high season.

The urban density of Sainte-Maxime is however well far from that of the large cities. With its 8 032 hectares of surface, the district is a haven of peace. It is one of its hidden charms !