Saint-Tropez
St Tropez started life as a sleepy fishing village and then the superb quality of light here was discovered by neo-impressionist Paul Signac who built a house here and invited his friends to stay. Matisse and Dufy being just a couple of those who accepted his invitation. Word of the wonderful location spread and in the 30s Cocteau, Colette and others arrived on the scene.
Then in the 50s and 60s St Tropez was discovered by Hollywood and has been a fashionable holiday location ever since.
Amazingly though when you arrive in St Tropez you can still see that sleepy fishing village that it once was. The narrow streets wind back from the coast up to the citadel and the houses are all in the simple style of fisherman’s houses. They are painted in pale pastels ranging from pale cream to deep terracotta. Watch the sun set on those at the sea front and the effect is breathtaking.
Park your car in one of the central car parks (incidentally one of the shiniest, brightest multi-storey car parks I have ever been in - even the floor looked polished!) and head down to the port. Here you can walk along the harbour and enjoy the sight of the lovely fishermen’s houses on one side - now boutiques and harbour-side restaurants - and large, expensive yachts on the other. Make sure you wander along the ‘Mole Jean Reveille’, a quay sticking out from the town and allowing you to look back and get splendid views of St Tropez harbour.
Wandering into the town from the harbour the streets narrow and offer a little shade from the sun. Enjoy the many chic boutiques that Saint Tropez has to offer. On the Place Garezzo see the Chateau Suffren built in the late 15th Century.
Places to Visit in St Tropez
Other sights to see include the Port du Revelen, the Tour Jarlier the eglise Notre Dame de L’Assomption with its pretty, and much photographed, bell tower and the 17th century Chapelle de la Misericorde.
On Tuesdays and Saturdays head to Place des Lices and enjoy the market.
Don’t forget to walk up to the citadel - no matter how hot it is - the views from up here are superb. The Citadel itself was built in the 16th century during the Religious Wars. It costs a couple of euros to enter but is worth it - more for the 360°views than the citadel itself, though this is an attractive castle quite ‘moorish in style‘.
The Musee de l’Annonciade, back on the port, quite near the tourist office, was originally a chapel and is now a permant art gallery with works by Matisse and Signac and most of the other artists who worked here. One of the best galleries in France for the neo-Impressionist era.
Saint Tropez beaches
Perhaps the most famous is the long sandy Baie de Pampelonne to the south of St Tropez. Along the edge of the beach are beach-side boutiques, cafes and clubs including Club 55 where visiting celebrities may head for a dance and a drink in the evening. Out to sea there are always a selection of yachts bobbing in the bay. The Pamelonne beach played a key role in the Allied landings during ‘Operation Dragoon’, the Allied invasion of Southern France.
Closer to St Tropez are the Plage des Salins and Plage de la Moutte or further
away and less crowded are Plage de l’Escalet and, near La Croix Valmer,
the Plage Gigaro.
See more photos of Saint Tropez
Visit Saint-Tropez (Provence, Var) travel, gites and hotels
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The Saint-Tropez hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Saint-Tropez is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Provence gites for Gassin holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Provence Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: VisitSee Visit Saint-Tropez for places to visit near Saint-Tropez including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Saint-Tropez in our Provence forum Airports near Saint-TropezNice airport at 77 km Toulon airport at 58 km Saint-Tropez property for saleSee Provence property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Saint-Tropez
- approved Station Classée (resort paying particular attention to facilities for tourism)
Places to visit near Saint-Tropez, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Saint-Tropez.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
31 km: Cap Esterel (Holiday village) 16 km: Cavalaire-sur-Mer (water sports resort) 20 km: Frejus (Coastal town) 8 km: Gassin (Most beautiful village) 13 km: Grimaud (Perched village) 27 km: Les-Arcs (medieval old town) 7 km: Port Grimaud (attractive modern harbour town) 7 km: Ramatuelle (pretty village) 4 km: Sainte-Maxime (Popular Riviera resort) 22 km: Saint-Raphael (French Riviera resort)
See also Saint-Tropez (version Francais)
