Interior architect
in Sainte-Maxime
Facing Saint-Tropez, SB Design Riviera renovates and fits out villas and apartments in Sainte-Maxime, from Le Sémaphore to Beauvallon.
Sainte-Maxime, the other shore of the gulf
Sainte-Maxime faces Saint-Tropez from the other side of the gulf. South-facing and backed by the Maures massif, the town enjoys sunshine and shelter from the wind that built its reputation as a family resort from the early twentieth century. Its centre, around the old harbour and the square tower, stays alive all year round — a rare asset in the gulf — while the coastline stretches for several kilometres, from Beauvallon to La Nartelle and La Garonnette.
The housing stock is one of the most varied in the gulf: apartments in residences with sea views on the heights, villas from the 1960s to the 1990s in the residential districts of Le Sémaphore and La Croisette, waterfront properties at Guerrevieille and Beauvallon, more recent developments towards La Nartelle. A large share of these properties belongs to non-resident owners, French and foreign, looking for a single point of contact able to design and deliver without their presence.
SB Design Riviera works across the whole Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Our nearest project, in La Croix-Valmer, illustrates how we work: a scheme drawn in 3D before construction, a dialogue between architecture, pool and landscape, complete interior and exterior design.
The neighbourhoods of Sainte-Maxime
Town centre and harbour
The old harbour, the promenade and the shopping streets around the square tower. Characterful apartments in older buildings, high-end seafront residences: properties to be optimised to the centimetre, with light and view as priorities.
La Nartelle
East of the centre, a long sandy beach lined with residences and villas, then the residential districts towards La Garonnette. Seafront apartments and pine-wood villas, often bought for seasonal letting.
Le Sémaphore
The residential district on the heights above the centre, overlooking the gulf. Villas from the 1960s to the 1990s with panoramic views of Saint-Tropez: ideal ground for a complete renovation that opens the volumes towards the sea.
La Croisette
West of the centre, a seafront residential district around the Pointe des Sardinaux. High-end villas and apartments, coves and the coastal path, a sought-after calm a short walk from the shops.
Guerrevieille
Further west, a bay and a family beach, waterfront villas and residences with direct access to the sea. Properties in high demand for seasonal letting, where the quality of the interior makes the difference.
Beauvallon
On the border with Grimaud, facing Saint-Tropez, the district of large villas and pine woods near the golf course. Exceptional properties, often within private estates, calling for an overall approach: architecture, interiors, pool and landscape.
Apartments with a view, pine-wood and seafront villas
Sainte-Maxime is first and foremost a town of apartments and holiday villas that have become, for many owners, semi-permanent homes. Apartments in the hillside residences offer uninterrupted views but often dated layouts: closed kitchens, narrow bathrooms, insufficient storage. The villas of Le Sémaphore, La Croisette or Beauvallon, built between the 1960s and the 1990s, need a complete upgrade — insulation, windows, services — before regaining generous volumes open onto the gulf.
We design these transformations with real use in mind: a family in summer, a couple off season, sometimes tenants in between. Hard-wearing materials, closed storage, easy-to-live-with outdoor spaces, and decoration that does not age from one season to the next.
- Apartments in residences overlooking the gulf, to be restructured
- Villas from the 1960s to the 1990s in Le Sémaphore and La Croisette, to be renovated
- Waterfront properties at Guerrevieille and Beauvallon
- Contemporary villas in the estates of La Nartelle and Beauvallon
- Townhouses and older apartments in the centre and by the harbour
Our services in Sainte-Maxime
- Complete renovation of apartments and villas
- Bespoke interior architecture and decoration
- Kitchens, bathrooms, dressing rooms and furniture designed by the studio
- Outdoor spaces: terraces, pool, summer kitchen, lighting
- Enhancement before seasonal letting or sale
What to know before renovating in Sainte-Maxime
Between coastal regulations, numerous co-ownerships and a very busy season, a project in Sainte-Maxime needs methodical preparation. We build these constraints into the design so that the site runs smoothly.
Coastal Law and the 100-metre strip
Outside built-up areas, new construction is prohibited within the 100-metre strip. Seafront villas at Guerrevieille, Beauvallon or La Nartelle must have their extension or pool possibilities checked against the zoning.
Local plan and zoning
The local plan sets, district by district, heights, footprint, setbacks and external appearance. Adding a storey in Le Sémaphore, an extension in La Croisette or a pool in Beauvallon requires a prior declaration or a permit.
Co-ownerships and managing agents
A large share of properties in Sainte-Maxime are in co-ownership. Any work affecting common areas, façades, services or external windows requires the agreement of the managing agent, or even of the general meeting. We prepare the file and anticipate the lead times.
Private gated estates
In Beauvallon as in La Nartelle, many villas lie within estates with their own rules: working hours, contractor access, appearance of fences and roofs. We comply with them from the planning stage.
Brush clearing and wildfire risk
The hillside districts, backed by the Maures massif, are subject to legal brush-clearing obligations, generally within 50 metres of buildings. They shape the garden design and the schedule of outdoor works.
Summer season
Municipal orders and co-ownership rules may restrict noisy works in summer; seafront traffic and parking complicate deliveries and waste removal. Sites run from autumn to spring and are delivered before the season.
This information is indicative: the rules depend on the plot, its zoning and the co-ownership or estate regulations. We check them with the Sainte-Maxime planning department and the managing agent before any design work.
Our method for non-resident owners
Most of our clients in Sainte-Maxime live elsewhere and come for a few weeks a year. Our service is designed so that they need not be on site between the first visit and the handing over of the keys.
- 01
Visit and survey
Full survey, photographs, review of the co-ownership or estate rules, identification of technical points. A report is sent to you before any sketch.
- 02
Design and 3D views
Plans, material boards and 3D views are presented by video call. You decide remotely, on images faithful to the delivered result.
- 03
Contractors from the gulf
We consult trades from Sainte-Maxime, Grimaud and the peninsula whom we know, compare quotes and hand you a consolidated budget.
- 04
A coordinated, documented site
Approvals from the managing agent or the estate, off-season schedule, regular visits, photo reporting after each one, video calls at key stages.
- 05
Turnkey delivery
Furniture, decoration, linen and tableware if you wish, final cleaning and handover with you or your property manager. The property is ready to live in — or to let — the day you arrive.
A project in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez
In La Croix-Valmer, on the other side of the gulf, a contemporary villa drawn in 3D before construction: a new build, a reworked infinity pool, complete interior and exterior design.
Frequently asked questions about a project in Sainte-Maxime
Can an apartment in a residence in Sainte-Maxime be renovated off season?
Yes, and it is even recommended: co-ownership rules often restrict works in summer, and the summer crowds complicate access and deliveries. We obtain the managing agent’s approval, schedule the site from autumn to spring and deliver before the season.
How do you enhance a property intended for seasonal letting?
With a robust, legible and desirable interior: materials that withstand use, closed storage, quality bedding and kitchen, well-kept outdoor spaces, final photographs. We design for the tenant without sacrificing the owner’s comfort.
Is a permit needed to extend a villa in Le Sémaphore?
An extension, an added storey or a pool fall under the local plan and, depending on the situation, the Coastal Law: a prior declaration or a building permit. We check the remaining building rights of the plot with the planning department before drawing.
Do you also work in Grimaud, Gassin and the rest of the gulf?
Yes. Sainte-Maxime is part of an area we cover entirely: Grimaud and Port Grimaud, Gassin, Cogolin, Saint-Tropez, Ramatuelle and La Croix-Valmer, where we delivered a contemporary villa.
Neighbouring areas
A project in Sainte-Maxime?
Let’s talk about your apartment or villa facing the gulf. Confidential, no-obligation consultation, on site or by video call.
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