Non-touristy town on the Cote d'Azur & countryside

It's more than a challenge to find an undiscovered town on the Cote d' Azur- if that is what you mean by "non-touristy."
Getting to any of the smaller towns by public transit will be problematic. You can, however, see the lavender fields in PROVENCE by catching a public bus from AVIGNON to Carpentras- a ride of a little less than one hour. The lavender season is June-August. Most travelers find a car rental of a day or more is optimal for visiting the rural towns of PROVENCE.

This is a good website for Provence:
http://www.beyond.fr/
And have you already looked at what Lonely Planet offers on this site?
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/provence
As far as the lavender fields, LP again:
'The lavender fields of Provence spring into bloom for the balmy summer months between June and August each year, blanketing the region’s fields with a vivid violet color.'
and from Thorn Tree:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/france/provence-in-september
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/france/suggestions-on-any-grs-across-provence-flower-field

And really, there are no** coastal towns that are non-touristy; why you want to visit there is what makes millions come every year for similar reasons.

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is the 3rd richest French region and ranks 19th at the European scale. It is going well mainly thanks to its attractivity in terms of tourism; it is indeed one of the favourite worldwide tourist destination welcoming about **34 million tourists every year. '
And here's a TT thread with links for bus lines in the area:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/topics/provence-itinerary-suggestions
and this:
http://www.seeprovence.com/buses

and a final word of advice: stop thinking in CAD and start thinking in Euro. If you have to stop and mentally calculate
what something costs everytime you have to plan your travel and budget it will drive you crazy. Tell yourselves you have
XXX euro to spend and then divide that into getting around, lodging, food and such...and you'll see how far it will take you.

There will be a lot of farmers markets, esp well stocked in September so you can buy food there, as well as prepared in supermarkets...if you stay in a hostel you can usually cook there.
Good luck.
oh....whatever your budget get some extra money and buy traveler's insurance. Don't leave home without it.

Why one would go to a region who is nearly the year over full with tourists looking for a 'non tourity' place? There are some places in the backland but only villages and not towns with less tourists and you need a car as public transport is rare or did not existe. If you have a map search for Castillon, Blausacl, Berr les Alpes, Bendejun, la Roquette s/Var, Gilette, le Broc, Bouyon, Courmes, Greolieres - this concern the department 06, all more or less one hour far from the coast.

I think what you may mean are smaller towns such as Antibes, Villefranche s mer, Menton, Frejus, St Maxime and of course St Tropez all of which are 'touristy' (that's what they exist on). To my mind the larger cities such as Nice and Cannes are less glitzy than these but perhaps you haven't heard of Antibes etc.

Thanks everyone, I will check out all these links and the towns mentioned! I had already heard that the lavender fields are around from June to August, but seeing as I will be there the last few days of August and first few days of September, I wasn't sure if they'd be gone by then.

Here you see all parts in Provence where you find Lavender fields. But the last few days in August will be too late to see them.
Luberon and Pays d'Apt (Vaucluse): Apt, Caseneuve, Viens, Ste Croix de Lauze, Carniol, Lagarde d'Apt, St. Christol, Gordes, Roussillon, Saignon
Pays de Sault et du Ventoux (Vaucluse): Bedoin, Monieux, Sault, St. Trinit, Aurel
Pays de Forcalquier and Montagne de Lure (Alpes de Haute Provence): Banon, Simiane la Rotonde, St. Etienne les Orgues, Mane, Lurs
Pays de Digne (Alpes de Haute Provence): Digne, Mézel, Thoard
Pays du Verdon, Plateau de Valensole (Alpes de Haute-Provence): Valensole, Riez, Allemagne en Provence, St. Jurs, Moustiers Sainte Marie, St. André Les Alpes, La Mure-Argens, Puimoisson

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