Saint-Tropez: beaches and luxury

Direction the French Riviera to discover the French resort best known in the world, Saint-Tropez.

Saint Tropez : a typical harbor with colored houses

The typical Ponche neighborhood is a maze of narrow roads edged by little houses with rose and orange tones which has been long described by artists of the 19th century. We can also find the Ponche beach between the colored houses. The church bell reciprocates these colors. The crowded summer city conserves a little bit of tranquility here. From there, you can join the little turquoise creeks which will make divers and tourists happy from the coast of Granier.

A creek along the coastal path which is only known by the Saint-Tropez locals

One of the emblems of the town is the harbor with its yachts and events, notably the sailboat race. It's here where you must come to observe the ballet of the biggest boats of the French Riviera in hopes of seeing one's idol. The harbor is bordered by numerous boutiques, restaurants and cafes. It is not here where you will save money, but the atmosphere is one that you'll be ready to take out your wallet!

Saint-Tropez Harbor

Ice cream parlors and the Annonciade Modern Arts Museum make up some points of interest for spending the day, before visiting the bars and clubs, including Papagayo and Nikki Beach with its pool, restaurant and bar, and even its own boutiques de luxe.

A sublime view from the citadel

The city became famous in the 1950s thanks to Brigitte Bardot. Saint-Tropez also houses a nice market, Place des Lices, where we can discover the specialties of the area without forgetting to pass by the boulodrome (where the sport petanque played is well loved!) and the former gendarmerie where the famous French movie “Les Gendarmes de St-Tropez” was filmed. The citadel is located in the hills, and dates back to the 16th century. It helped to push back the Spaniards, then the English and then became occupied by the Germans during WWII. It is visited all year long and has a wonderful view of the bay and the city.

Saint-Tropez Beaches and surroundings

Bouillabaisse Beach – the most well-known beach in Saint-Tropez

Beach enthusiasts have a choice between about 15 sites (including Ramatuelle) but the most well-known are: Bouillabaisse, Graniers, Canoubiers, Salins, and La Moutte. They can be found all along the pleasant little winding coastal paths.

Pampelonne in the summer near Tahiti Beach

Ramatuelle's beaches should equally be discovered. They are the most festive of the French Riviera, including the famous Pampelonne Beach where the stars love to come during the summer. It stretches across a beautiful bay with several possible entrances (parking must be paid during summer). In the summer, you'll want to visit this beach during the day and then scout out the different clubs in Saint-Tropez (15 minutes by car when traffic is normal, but travel in the summer can take much longer).

For souvenirs, you'll fall in love with the “tropéziennes” sandals which have been adopted by fashion lovers around the world.

Good to know

In the summer and on weekends, it is very difficult to get to Saint-Tropez by car, especially coming from Grimaud. The road is systematically blocked by traffic and it is not rare to “wait in line” for hours. If you are coming from La Croix Valmer, traffic is generally less dense.

To avoid traffic jams, one solution could be to take the boat from Sainte-Maxime, where we can find daily shuttles. You'll save a great amount of time and possibly money too (you will neither have to pay for parking in Saint-Tropez nor the gas to get there).