City

Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez lies on the northern side of a peninsula in the Var département, where the Gulf of Saint-Tropez meets the Mediterranean Sea.

Saint-Tropez lies on the northern side of a peninsula in the Var département, where the Gulf of Saint-Tropez meets the Mediterranean Sea. The fishing village evolved into a gathering point for film and the jet set in the 1950s, sparked by the film 'And God Created Woman' starring Brigitte Bardot. Even earlier, painters such as Paul Signac had discovered the bay's unique light.Behind the harbour with its yachts lies a compact old town of ochre-coloured houses and narrow alleys. Overlooking the town is the 17th-century citadel, while the Musée de l'Annonciade showcases works by Pointillists and Fauves. Its famous sandy beaches, especially the Plage de Pampelonne, belong to the neighbouring commune of Ramatuelle.

Saint-Tropez is a small town with around 4,000 inhabitants, though in summer, visitor numbers increase manyfold. The compact centre around the Vieux Port can be explored on foot in just a few hours. The La Ponche quarter behind the port holds the oldest alleys of the erstwhile fishing village. The Citadel and the seaside cemetery offer the most beautiful views. In spring and autumn, the town is noticeably quieter than during high season.

Sights in Saint-Tropez

Discover the most important sights and attractions

Blaue Max / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Citadelle de Saint-Tropez

The 17th-century citadel perches on a hill east of the old town. Today, the keep houses a maritime history museum; from the ramparts, the view stretches across the Gulf to the Massif des Maures.

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Gnrc / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Musée de l'Annonciade

The art museum in a former chapel by the harbor shows works by painters active in Saint-Tropez, including Paul Signac, Henri Matisse, and other Pointillist and Fauvist artists.

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Arnaud 25 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Place des Lices

The plane tree-shaded square is the village's meeting point. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, the Provençal market takes place here, while on other days, locals play Pétanque.

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Restaurants in Saint-Tropez

Food and Drink

Tarte Tropézienne

The cream-filled brioche with pearl sugar, invented in Saint-Tropez in the 1950s, is still the town's specialty.

Rosé from Côtes de Provence

The vineyards around the Gulf are Côtes de Provence, whose pale rosé is served with almost every meal at the harbor.

Market on Place des Lices

On Tuesdays and Saturdays, vendors offer vegetables, olives, cheese, and Provençal herbs, ideal for a beach picnic.

Culture

Artists and LightPaul Signac arrived in Saint-Tropez in 1892 by sailboat and stayed. He drew other artists here, including Henri Matisse, who in 1904 worked on his 'Luxe, calme et volupté'. The Musée de l'Annonciade preserves this legacy.Film and MythBrigitte Bardot, and later the Gendarme comedies with Louis de Funès, made the town a film set. The Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma in the former police building tells this story.The BravadesEvery year in mid-May, Saint-Tropez celebrates its patron saint with the Bravades, a procession with musket shots and historical uniforms, a tradition maintained for centuries.

Local adventures

The Old Town, the port, and the citadel are close to each other and best explored on foot. Saint-Tropez has no train station; regional buses connect the town with Saint-Raphaël.In summer, traffic on the only access road often backs up for miles. Plan to arrive early in the morning or in the evening.During peak season, boats from Sainte-Maxime and other towns on the Gulf sail directly into the port.You can reach the beaches of Ramatuelle by car, bike, or scooter.