THE ANTIQUE PORT

What gave to Fréjus his biggest importance during all the duration of the Empire Roman, it is the port. The antique written sources on Fréjus's previous history are little numerous and they evoke FORUM JULII, Roman colony.

A fact is sure, it is that in 31 before J.C. or a bit further, Fréjus's port welcomed the fleet of MARC ANTOINE and of CLEOPATRE (Queen of Egypt) taken by OCTAVE, the future AUGUST emperor to ACTIUM (in Greece).

This fact except series marked the entrance of Fréjus and his famous port to the history. This port constitutes so one of the essential elements which was at the origin of the creation of Fréjus.

The door of edge

The lantern of August

The ANTIQUE PORT was situated inside lands and dug in a pond in about 1,5 kilometres of the seaside by a natural channel " Le Cougourdier " succeeding obliquely among Fréjus-Plage and Saint Raphaël.

The ANTIQUE PORT was situated on both sides of the current railroad and in the North of a line leaving of the Mound Saint Antoine in Auguste's lantern.

The ANTIQUE PORT as considered as one of the main commercial ports and serviceman of all the Occidental Mediterranean Sea. It was filled naturally and gradually, with the 5è century at the beginning of 19-th century. " Fréjus underwent melancholic fate of cities abandoned by the sea ". ( Mérimée)

FRÉJUS'S NEW PORT (Pleasure port inaugurated on July 12, 1989), falls so to Fréjus its maritime vocation of formerly. A big project should have to connect it with the place of the former ancient Port Roman through a canal.