Wow! One of the cool things about the French Riviera is that even in winter, you can find a clear sky, a mountain crest to hike and balcony views over the Mediterranean. There's snow nearby in the Mercantour if you want it, but there's also plenty of dry trails for a trek closer to the sea. No need to wait for Spring.
And for hiking close to St Ayguf, Sainte-Maxime, Fréjus, one of the best sites are the Petites Maures.
It's a low-lying set of hills between the Etangs de Villepey by St Aygulf and Les Issambres that precede the deeper wooded Maures. These hills on the Comune de Roquebrune-sur-Argens, or 518 hectares of them, belong to the Conservatoire du Littoral so they're protected and not buildable (for now). Better yet, they're full of hiking and MTB trails with gorgeous views.
Here's a good start at 6km (2 hours) of up-down treat: park at the end of the Ski Nautique lake off the D7 road that leads to Roquebrune-sur-Argens. You'll be right next to the Château Vaudois if you care for a taste. Take the F1 trail that heads up steeply, then at the top head right. If you prefer not to take the risk of getting lost heading down toward the Reydissart river below, just stay on the larger tail that follows the crestline. You can head back on the same trail all the way, for a different set of views. Or go all the way to the Bougnon mountain top (other side of D8) if you ok with some uphill. The Med and Maures views make it all worthwhile.
View Départ Rando: Les Petites Maures in a larger map
