St-Tropez

These seven areas in St. Tropez are among the loveliest and most exclusive. It’s easy to see why:

Cap Tahiti

The ultra-famous Tahiti Beach is an idyllic area on the Riviera to take a luxurious break. The gated area of Cap Tahiti overlooks Pampelonne Beach and has direct access to Tahiti Beach. This beautiful section of Ramatuelle is surrounded by lush and fragrant gardens. Not only is the area exclusive and secure, but its location provides stunning views of the gleaming coastline. Those views are part of the allure of VIlla Pareo, featuring two homes whose idyllic location provides quick access to the town center and surrounding attractions. The two villas both feature fully furnished, gourmet kitchens and large living rooms as well as several lounging spaces.

Gassin

Stunning is the right word to describe the views Gassin provides over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the Maures mountains. This enchanting medieval village is a highly sought after area with its small, winding cobblestone streets and ancient houses. There is a beautiful golf club and many opportunities for water activities. Life here is both glamorous and cordial and a fitting area to spend a holiday. Villa Marcella is one of the loveliest villa rentals in St. Tropez. The home is in an ideal Gassin location close to many attractions and within walking distance of the beach. It can accommodate 14 guests, has a heated outdoor pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, and many amazing amenities for a stellar stay.

La Croix Valmer

La Croix Valmer is a tranquil haven in the foothills of the Maures mountains. The area is renowned for its rose wine, golden beaches such as Plage de Gigaro and Plage du Débarquement, and hidden coves. There are also several hiking trails for those who love the outdoors. Villa Bellazard, in the La Croix Valmer area, is an elegant, modern luxury home offering panoramic views of the blue sea and sumptuous vineyards. With room for 18 guests, the villa has all the amenities including a heated outdoor pool.

L’Escalet

L’Escalet is a lovely beach area, six miles from St. Tropez. It’s a hidden gem, with a relaxed, no-fuss ambiance and is far removed from the beach club vibe of Pampelonne. Some of the most natural, magnificent coastline can be found in L’Escalet as can the grand and contemporary Villa Maison Blanche. Take in the exemplary water view stretched out on a lounger by the villa’s heated pool, cocktail on the side table, book in hand. The cerulean-blue waters of L’Escalet beach are popular with yachters, with many luxury yachts anchoring in the bays for the day so they can enjoy some tranquility before heading back to the action of St. Tropez.

Les Parcs de Saint Tropez

Les Parcs de Saint Tropez is a luxury gated community between Bay of Canoubiers, Massif des Maures and the Mediterranean Sea. The area is only accessible to villa owners and guests. The same applies to the private beach and tennis courts. Les Parcs de Saint Tropez is where the ultra-elite live and stay and it’s just a five-minute drive to the center of St. Tropez. Villa Goyave is in the heart of Les Parcs de Saint Tropez and far from prying eyes, giving you ultimate privacy. There is a main house and a guest house on the property which overlooks the water. In addition to every luxury amenity, the property also has a helipad, a boat dock and enchanting waterfalls.

Les Salins

When Pampelonne gets a little too crowded, some head to the sandy paradise of Les Salins with its fine white sand and warm breezes. Of all the beaches in St. Tropez, many contend that Plage des Salin is the finest. Villa Marjorie is a contemporary and stylish luxury villa near St. Tropez, only about seven kilometers away, in fact. The beautiful, heated outdoor pool is the ideal respite area for a glass of wine and a good book. This home has everything a luxury traveler would appreciate, including room for 16 guests.

Saint-Jaume

The Saint-Jaume district of St. Tropez is the ideal getaway spot for elite travelers wishing to relax and unwind and the eight-bedroom Villa Tahia allows exactly that. The tastefully-appointed villa surrounded by lush trees and flowers, offers generous accommodation for 16. The large glass doors and floor to ceiling windows allow an unfettered view of the glistening Mediterranean Sea. Premier amenities include a hammam, massage room, cinema room and sauna.

St. Tropez is the ultimate destination for those who enjoy discovering restaurants that offer the finest cuisine. These seven establishments are among the finest the town has to offer:

Au Caprice Des Deux

Those with a yen for an authentic French meal head to Au Caprice Des Deux in the heart of St. Tropez. The restaurant is family owned and operated and the staff is friendly, competent and unassuming. The ambiance is romantic and elegant. Try this off the menu: Fresh spinach salad with parmesan and truffles and on to perfect lamb cuts served with truffle mashed potatoes and vegetables. To conclude, savor the decadent chocolate fondant.

Auberge des Maures

Auberge des Maures is the favorite dining spot for St. Tropez locals. The oldest restaurant in town serves generous portions of delicious Provençal cooking like braised beef stew, tapenade-stuffed lamb shoulder, lobster and skirt steak grilled over a fire served with eschalot sauce. There are many excellent options on the menu, so plenty of choices for everyone, whether fish or meat. The service is friendly and attentive.

Bagatelle

Bagatelle’s philosophy is “sharing festive moments of joie de vivre” around their tables. The food on those tables is sophisticated, generous and authentic and meant to be shared in a joyful atmosphere. For starters, get the palate revved up with fresh goat cheese in spicy tomato sauce. For a lighter entrée, the coastal-caught fish cooked in lemon leaves and to top things off, red fruit granita with cardamom.

Club 55

Club 55 has been in the same family for generations. With a wonderful situation right on Pampelonne beach, Club 55 has been known to serve more than 1,000 diners on a summer day and evening. The ambiance is laid back and where guests are treated like friends. Many people stop by the eatery for post-beach cocktails and appetizers.

Cucina Byblos

It’s la dolce vita in St. Tropez. Cucina Byblos is just a hop, skip and jump from the legendary Place des Lices on Hotel Byblos’ terrace. Guests will feel like they’re dining on authentic Italian cuisine in a small Italian piazza. The relaxed, warm and colorful atmosphere beckons unhurried dining at its best.

La Vague D’Or

This restaurant is a veritable culinary blast. La Vague D’Or’s opulence is almost as famous as its three-Michelin-star Chef Arnaud Donckele who combines locally-sourced ingredients in mind-blowing ways. The seven course Balade Epicurienne tasting menu is best enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the ocean. Sommeliers are on hand to perfectly pair wines to cuisine.

Salama

Moroccan fare based on simple and hearty dishes is the soul of Salama. The ambiance is intimate, the location in the center of St. Tropez village, far from the maddening crowds. Salama is a place where energies unite and pleasures converge. The tuna tartare with avocado cream is a fresh start. Give the taste buds a gift with la mourouzis, a 1,000-year-old recipe made of a generous portion of lamb simmered for four hours in a subtle blend of house spices from North Africa. This exotic dish will continue to delight for another 1,000 years.

St. Tropez has attracted many artists to settle here, giving rise to an art scene with many exhibition spaces, studios and museums. These four venues are worth checking out:

Citadelle de Saint-Tropez - Musée d'histoire maritime

This modern museum is housed in the dungeon of the village Citadel. Learn all about St. Tropez heroes such as Bailli de Suffren, General Allard or Hyppolite Bouchard, as well as thousands of the nameless who served the nation aboard the navy’s vessels or who faced stormy seas aboard merchant ships. You will also broaden your knowledge of St. Tropez by learning about the town's daily life and relationship to the sea, through traditional fishing techniques and its history for the last 500 years.

Galerie Des Lices

Galerie Des Lices is the largest gallery in St. Tropez displaying works of some of today’s greatest modern artists. Art lovers looking to expand their collections will have a grand time choosing just the right piece. Perhaps a sculpture by Armand or Cesar, audacious photography by Philippe Shangti or even a piece by the contemporary maestro, Damien Hirst? It will be fun choosing.

Le Musée de l'Annonciade

At home inside a 16th century chapel, this small museum is a great example of how St. Tropez was an important avant-garde center at the beginning of the 20th century. The Annonciade museum was built in 1922 and houses impressive artwork from 1890 to 1950, including some of the greatest French artists such as Matisse, Derain and Marquet. Artists whose pieces are shown at the museum based their work upon the study of color, light as well as shape.

Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma de St Tropez

This museum has many surprises, each one as fun as the last! Visitors can see a replica of a 1960s-era police office, and enter a retro cinema entirely dedicated to the history of the Gendarmes, go along the Nationale 7 (the famous holiday route) riding shotgun in a 2 CV and Simca Aronde, party in St. Tropez, get acquainted with Romy Schneider and Brigitte Bardot in their digs during filming for And God Created Woman (1956) and The Swimming Pool (1968).

St. Tropez is one of the world’s “it” places to get a party groove going. These nine venues make up an electrifying nightlife that is sure to keep guests dancing and imbibing into the wee hours of the morning:

Bar Du Port

Bar Du Port is one of the trendiest bars in all of St. Tropez. The bar has been renovated to a very high class standard with wood, leather, metal and marble all working in tandem to a modern, yet old-world ambiance. This cocktail bar also offers a great nightlife experience in the off season. A DJ spins funky house music and the party goes on into the small hours of morning.

Brasserie des Arts

With a great location right next to the famous Place des Lices, Brasserie des Arts is a sleek and exclusive lounge bar with easy-on-the-eyes neutral tones. Classic is the word to define this place with the sleek and tanned crowd. The terrace is the ideal spot for sunning, sipping and basking in the Riviera glow. During the summer season the Brasserie stays open until 3 a.m. and has a chilled, glamorous vibe that’s truly tempting.

Gaio

Gaio was the very first venue to open in St. Tropez that offered an all-inclusive, restaurant and clubbing experience. What was formerly known as Papagayo, this place truly reinvented itself and offers outstanding food and drinks. One of the greatest assets is that guests get distinctly high-quality food, and for those who stay on after dinner, an exceptional party experience.

Ice Kube Bar

For an all-round terrific experience, head to Ice Kube Bar. With multi-colored LEDs that bounce off towering ice sculptures, the ambiance here is surreal. When guests arrive, they can expect to receive a large Parka to help them stave off the cool temperatures. Once the entry fee is paid, guests get four vodka-based cocktails of their choosing. To get there when it’s lively, be sure to arrive between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.

L’Opera

L’Opera is one of the hippest late night bars in the St. Tropez Port. When it gets dark this place turns into one of the most fun places to be in St. Tropez, with flame throwers, exotic dancers, violin players and much more to entertain guests. Resident DJs spin the beats late into the night.

Les Caves Du Roy

This could easily be the most famous club in all of France! Countless celebrities and the French Riviera elite come here to enjoy the extremely good music and the luxurious selection of diverse drinks on offer. And the spectacular décor doesn’t hurt either. For those wanting a venue teeming with glitz and glamor, Les Caves Du Roy won’t come up short.

Les Toits Lounge

Sipping cocktails while relishing the spectacular views of St. Tropez, is part of the magic of Les Toits Lounge. This is a sultry lounge at the top of the Hotel de Paris. In season, at aperitif time, begin the evening sipping a glass of champagne, an exceptional wine or a tasty signature cocktail.

Tsar Folies

Tsar Folies lounge bar welcomes guests in a warm and festive atmosphere. The club is decorated with neon and LED lights giving the space a cool vibe. Couple that with great music and out-of-this-world cocktails and you have a pretty sweet spot to party. The venue is a popular spot for the younger set between the ages of 18-25. Tunes are a combination of EDM, House and Techno and feature local DJs who really know how to fire up the crowd.

White 1921

White 1921 is the former Maison Blanche Champagne Bar. The bar is located in the boutique hotel with the same name. White 1921 is a familiar site with its mansion-like appearance that was once a private residence. The main bar is located along a large terrace in front of the main chateau-style residence. An all-white silhouette features a series of double-seat sofas and club chairs. The bar is covered and heated on cooler evenings, and features posh champagnes by the bottle poured by a dashing group of bartenders who look as though they came off a Paris runway.

No matter when visitors descend upon St. Tropez, there is always some event taking place. These eight offer something for everyone’s tastes:

Fêtes de la Châtaigne

This annual festival of all things to do with chestnuts takes place in October in the chestnut capital of the world, the Var village of Collobrières. Thousands of visitors hit the area to taste-test chestnuts in every shape and form: roasted, preserves, pastes, cakes, pies and for the true connoisseur, marron glacé. The festival offers other delights including anchoïade, merguez (North-African sausages), or patés, all to be washed down with the new wines of the year.

Fête de la Musique

When the summer solstice is approaching, cities, towns and villages across France celebrate with the Fete de la Musique. The celebration in St. Tropez spills out from bars and restaurants onto the streets and encompasses every type of music imaginable, from local amateur teen bands to professional classical musicians, from club DJs to traditional folk bands. Fête de la Musique is a night when French authorities waive normal licensing laws, allowing the revelry to continue as long as there are people with the stamina to enjoy it!

Les Bravades

This long-standing festival celebrates the formation of the army created in the 16th century. Expect traditional music, dancing, food and drinking plus stalls and parades in the streets. Proud locals dress up in empire uniforms, fire muskets and march with the band. The “real” St. Tropez behind the glitz, this is the most culturally important festival in the town and is a huge local favorite.

Les Grimaldines World Music Festival

The World Music Festival features musicians from different corners of the world, and shows and activities in Grimaud. Concerts take place at the beautiful medieval castle in the village. It’s a trip around the world through music in an otherworldly setting.

Les Nuits des Musées

The European Night of Museums is celebrated by the doors of museums opening their doors free of charge from nightfall to midnight. Guests can expect tours, screenings and a friendly, fun, and playful experience. This night includes more than 3,200 museums in 30 European countries, including 1,800 in France which welcome millions of visitors.

Les Voiles de St. Tropez

A host of racers and sailing enthusiasts come from all corners of the globe to do battle in Les Voiles de St. Tropez. The Rolex trophy is awarded to the winner of the Classic Division over 16 meters. The regatta is somewhat of an eye opener with the multitude of prestigious super yachts, both power and sail, as well as the awesome classics here for the regatta. You will be awed by the visual spectacle of so many incredible yachts; the classics, the Walleys and top-end modern racers all together in one regatta.

Ramatuelle Jazz Festival

This highly-awaited jazz fest heats up in a historic theater and its gardens. Created in 1986, the festival focuses on swing Jazz featuring many new and established American and French jazz musicians. In addition to an exclusive program, Jazz à Ramatuelle tirelessly promotes local musicians and delights an audience with concerts every night. This parallel event, Festival Off, takes place every day of the festival in the theater's gardens.

St. Tropez Polo Gold Cup

St. Tropez is the ultimate playground for polo and that includes championship play with the Gold Cup. Polo Club Saint-Tropez brings the finest players to town to compete in this prestigious event. The Gold Cup is the culmination of the season in September. This is a not-to-be missed event for all polo enthusiasts.

There is no shortage of activities to create lasting memories in St. Tropez. Remember to have a camera at the ready for these four:

Catamaran Excursion

There is another way to discover the wonders of the area: a catamaran cruise in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Rent a luxury catamaran with a skipper to discover exceptional places in the middle of the sea that are rich in wonders. Guests will also have the chance to stop at a deserted beach for a few hours or longer. It is a unique way to discover the region while in the lap of luxury. Guests can get a brand new perspective of the area with a St. Tropez luxury yacht charter.

Explore the Old Port

Stroll the quays of the picturesque old port with its yacht-lined harbor. The Bailli de Suffren statue of a 17th century naval gazes out to sea in front of beautifully-kept, sable-colored townhouses. Beneath the archway, next to the tourist office, seek out the daily morning fish market on place aux Herbes. Take in some modern art, visit the citadel, eat some scrumptious seafood and discover local maritime history.

Horseback Riding in the Vineyards

Horseback riding through the nature reserves, gorges, vineyards and mountain top towns and the beautiful coastline of the French Riviera is an ideal, centering way to explore the area. There are a couple of equestrian centers offering lessons and private riding sessions. Perhaps a canter on the beach at sunset?

Kayaking at the Ramatuelle Nature Reserve

La Réserve Ramatuelle overlooks one of the most beautiful bays on the Côte d’Azur, with a spectacular view over the endless sea, a vast private estate nestled in the Mediterranean scrubland, lulled by the song of cicadas. It’s a place away from the buzz, far from the crowds and noise. The ideal way to see this nature reserve is in a kayak, gliding along the clear, turquoise water. Stop at Wild Crees for some incredibly magical snorkeling.