| St-Raphaël's gare SNCF, in the centre of town, is the main station for the Marseille–Ventigmilia line; the gare routière is on square du Dr Régis, across the rail line behind the gare SNCF. Information on the surrounding region is available from the tourist office, next to the gare SNCF on rue W.-Rousseau (daily: July & Aug 9am–8pm; Sept–June 9am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm; tel 04.94.19.52.52, www.saint-raphael.com). Bikes can be rented from Patrick Moto, 280 av Général-Leclerc (tel 04.94.53.65.99). Seafront accommodation in St-Raphaël is available on promenade René-Coty at the Beau Séjour (tel 04.94.95.03.75, fax 04.94.83.89.99; €55–70; closed Nov–March), one of the cheaper hotels along here, with a pleasant terrace; or at the Excelsior (tel 04.94.95.02.42, www.excelsior-hotel.com; €125–150), whose rooms are luxurious and well equipped. Bellevue, 22 bd Félix-Martin (tel 04.94.19.90.10, fax 04.94.19.90.11; €40–55), is good value for its central location; and La Bonne Auberge, 54 rue de la Garonne (tel 04.94.95.69.72; €30–40; closed Dec–Feb), is a cheapie close to the old port. East of the centre, the Hôtel du Soleil, 47 bd du Domaine de Soleil, off boulevard Christian-Lafon (tel 04.94.83.10.00, [email protected]; €55–70; closed Oct–March), is a small, pretty villa with its own garden. There's hostel accommodation (€17.53) and double rooms in Boulouris, 5km east of St-Raphaël, at the Centre International Le Manoir, impasse Raoul Blanchard, chemin de l'Escale (tel 04.94.95.20.58, www.cei-manoir.com; under €30; open 24 June–Aug). The Centre has friendly, helpful staff and is close to the beach right by the Boulouris gare SNCF (trains or buses every 30min from St-Raphaël). A four-star campsite close to the beach, Le Val Fleury, on the N98 in Boulouris (tel 04.94.95.21.52, fax 04.94.19.09.47), is open all year. Food markets are held every day on place Victor-Hugo and place de la République. You'll find reasonably priced cafés and brasseries around these, and plenty of pizzerias, crêperies and restaurants of varying quality around Port Santa Lucia and along the promenades. Of the more expensive establishments, two of the best are Le Sirocco, 35 quai Albert-1er (tel 04.94.95.39.99), a smart restaurant specializing in fish, with menus around €16–34 plus a view of the port; and Pastorel, 54 rue de la Liberté (tel 04.94.95.02.36; closed Sun night, Mon & Tues), with menus from around €28, which has decently priced Provençal wines, aïoli on Fridays and wonderful hors d'oecuvres. For drinking, try the selection of beers at the Blue Bar on promenade René Coty plage du Veillat (open till 4am in summer); Aux Ambassadeurs, a brasserie overlooking the port beneath the Casino (till 1am); the Coco-Club at Port Santa Lucia (till dawn) for more expensive cocktails; or one of the beachfront discos open in the summer along the promenade to the west of town. If you're staying outside the centre though, note that late-night taxis are almost impossible to come by in this part of the world.
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