guide
This guide details the must-sees of Saint-Tropez beyond the clichés: the harbour and Place des Lices, Pampelonne beach with its private beach clubs and free public access, the citadel and its naval museum, the Annonciade museum, the Butterfly House and the neighbouring villages of Port Grimaud and Ramatuelle. It gives prices, opening hours and the best times to visit Saint-Tropez while avoiding the July-August crowds.
Saint-Tropez is one of the most mythical destinations on the Côte d’Azur – this small fishing port of the Saint-Tropez Gulf in the Var became a worldwide symbol of glamor and freedom since Brigitte Bardot filmed And God Created Woman there in 1956. But doing things in Saint-Tropez means much more than the gilded appearances of the jet-set: it’s strolling on the Place des Lices on a Saturday morning market, marveling at the Matisse and Signac of the Annonciade Museum, breathing the salty air of Pampelonne Beach outside July-August and discovering the hidden villages of the Saint-Tropez Gulf. This complete guide to activities and visits to Saint-Tropez reveals everything – the must-sees, real prices, ideal hours and secrets usual guides don’t mention.
The Saint-Tropez port is the living heart of the city – its colorful quays lined with cafés, its bright-hulled yachts and the pink and ochre facades of fishermen’s houses reflected in the port water form the most photographed image of Saint-Tropez. The walk on Jean-Jaurès quay at sunrise (before 7am in summer) is one of the most magical experiences on the Côte d’Azur – the golden lights on Saint-Tropez port and the first returning fishermen are incomparably beautiful, and the city still belongs to locals.
The Place des Lices is the authentic lung of Saint-Tropez – this large square shaded by century-old plane trees is the place of daily pétanque (played since forever, still today by Saint-Tropez elders) and of Tuesday and Saturday morning market (8am-1pm) – one of the most beautiful markets of Provence and the Var, with its stalls of fruit, flowers, cheese, olives and Provençal fabrics. Brigitte Bardot herself loved coming to Place des Lices between takes – a story told by all local Saint-Tropez guides. The tourism office of Saint-Tropez is located a stone’s throw from the place and distributes maps of all city visits.
Claire’s advice: Come to Saint-Tropez on a Tuesday morning off-season (May or October) – Place des Lices market without tourists, Saint-Tropez port quays still empty and shops not yet opened: it’s the real city, the one locals know. High season (July 15 – August 15) makes Saint-Tropez nearly impossible to drive in – leave your car in Ramatuelle or Grimaud and take the maritime shuttle from Sainte-Maxime (20 min, 15 € round-trip).
Pampelonne Beach is the mythical beach of Saint-Tropez – its 4.5 km of fine sand in Ramatuelle, 6 km from Saint-Tropez port, concentrate the most famous private beaches on the Côte d’Azur: Nikki Beach, Club 55, Tahiti Beach and about thirty other internationally renowned beach establishments. Pampelonne Beach is also lined by an entirely free public section (access from coastal parking, 5-8 €/day) – perfect for enjoying one of the most beautiful beaches of the Saint-Tropez Gulf without spending a fortune. Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez is the most famous beach establishment in the world – its DJ ambiance, white mattresses and overflow pools are the very image of Saint-Tropez beach lifestyle, but count on 80-150 € minimum consumption for a day there.
What guides don’t mention: Pampelonne Beach in September is another planet – private beaches close mid-September but public sand is magnificent, water still warm (23-24°C), and the 4.5 km of shore are nearly empty. It’s the best time to do Saint-Tropez beach at reasonable price.
The Saint-Tropez Citadel (16th-17th centuries) dominates the city from a hill east of the port – its naval museum (7 € adult, 4 € child) presents the maritime history of Saint-Tropez from antiquity to the Provence landing of August 1944. The ramparts of the Saint-Tropez Citadel offer the most beautiful panoramic view over the Saint-Tropez Gulf, Sainte-Maxime and Maures – accessible on foot from Saint-Tropez port in 15 min by Citadel climb (free access to exterior ramparts).
The Annonciade Museum (Place des Lices / Épi Quay, 7 € adult) is the artistic treasure of Saint-Tropez – housed in a 16th-century chapel facing the port, it houses one of the most beautiful collections of post-impressionist and fauviste painting in France: works by Paul Signac (who introduced Saint-Tropez to painters in 1892), Matisse, Bonnard, Derain, Marquet. This museum unknown to rushed tourists is one of Saint-Tropez‘s most pleasant surprises – don’t miss it.
The Gendarmerie and Cinema Museum (Blanqui Place, free admission) is Saint-Tropez‘s homage to the Gendarme saga filmed here between 1964 and 1982 with Louis de Funès and Michel Galabru – original costumes, brigade vehicles and shooting photos will delight saga fans. This free and unusual visit is among the most appreciated by families and groups in Saint-Tropez.
The Butterfly House (Étienne-Berny street, 3 € adult) is one of Saint-Tropez‘s most surprising visits – Alexandre Micka‘s collection, adopted son of Dali, brings together more than 35,000 butterflies from around the world in an old townhouse of old Saint-Tropez. A short visit (30 min) but unforgettable for children and nature science lovers, nestled in an alley of the old city that even regular Saint-Tropez visitors know little.
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Church in Saint-Tropez (18th century, Church Place) houses the bust-reliquary of Saint Tropès – the city‘s patron saint whose head (according to legend) was found on the beach in the 6th century after drifting from Pisa in a boat. The Bravades of Saint-Tropez (mid-May), procession in historical costume around the port with cannon fire, celebrate this patron saint – the most authentic festival of the Saint-Tropez Gulf and one of the oldest in France.
The Voiles de Saint-Tropez (late September – early October) are the largest gathering of old sailing ships and classic yachts in the Mediterranean – the Saint-Tropez Gulf bay then covers with hundreds of white sails for a week, for one of the most moving nautical spectacles on the Côte d’Azur. The tourism office of Saint-Tropez distributes the schedule of regattas and land activities during the Voiles Saint-Tropez. Nautical activities at Saint-Tropez port are numerous year-round: day sailing outings (80-120 €/person), kayak and stand-up paddle rental, diving in the gulf (45-70 € per dive).
Port Grimaud, 8 km from Saint-Tropez on the shores of the Saint-Tropez Gulf, is “the little Provençal Venice” – this lacustrine village created from scratch in 1966 by architect François Spoerry is now an unmissable tourist site of Saint-Tropez surroundings: its colorful canal-side houses, bridges and landing stages make it one of the most original destinations of the Var. The visit to Port Grimaud is free (free pedestrian access) – plan 2 hours to make the complete tour.
Ramatuelle, 6 km from Saint-Tropez by D93, is one of the most beautiful perched villages of the Var – its medieval stone streets, 17th-century church and views over the Saint-Tropez Gulf and Pampelonne Beach make it an unmissable stop. Ramatuelle is also known for its theater festival (July-August, outdoor shows) – one of the best summer festivals of the Saint-Tropez Gulf. The sunset from the windmill ruins of Ramatuelle (15 min walk from the village) is one of the most beautiful on the Côte d’Azur.
The campgrounds of the Saint-Tropez Gulf and the Var offer aquatic parks with heated pools in a setting of pines and vineyards – a few kilometers from Saint-Tropez port, Pampelonne Beach and villages of the gulf. A campground stay in the Saint-Tropez Gulf allows you to explore all activities: Pampelonne Beach (Nikki Beach, public beach), Saint-Tropez port (market on Place des Lices, Annonciade Museum, Saint-Tropez Citadel), Port Grimaud, Ramatuelle and Voiles Saint-Tropez in autumn. The Côte d’Azur around the Saint-Tropez Gulf is ideal for vacations from May to October – the best period to do Saint-Tropez without summer crowds.
The best things to do in Saint-Tropez are: a stroll along Saint-Tropez harbour (sunrise, boats), the market on Place des Lices (Tuesday and Saturday mornings), Pampelonne beach (6 km, private beach clubs such as Nikki Beach, free public sand), the Annonciade museum (Paul Signac, Matisse, €7 adults), the Saint-Tropez citadel (panoramic view, naval museum, €7) and the Gendarmerie and Cinema museum (Louis de Funès, Michel Galabru, free entry). Port Grimaud and Ramatuelle round out a stay in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
To avoid the crowds in Saint-Tropez, leave the car in Ramatuelle or Grimaud and take the boat shuttle from Sainte-Maxime (20 min, €15 return) - traffic jams on the D98A can reach 2 hours in July-August. Visit Saint-Tropez on a Tuesday morning out of season (May, October) to discover the real town: Place des Lices in full market swing, an empty Saint-Tropez harbour. The Voiles de Saint-Tropez (late September) offer a festive, authentic atmosphere without the summer crowds in the gulf.
Pampelonne beach is Saint-Tropez's legendary main beach - 4.5 km of fine sand in Ramatuelle (6 km from Saint-Tropez harbour), lined with famous beach clubs: Nikki Beach (€80-150 minimum spend), Club 55, Tahiti Beach. The public section of Pampelonne beach is free (parking €5-8/day) - perfect for enjoying Saint-Tropez's beach without spending a fortune. Best time to go: September, warm water, an almost empty beach.
The Voiles de Saint-Tropez is the largest gathering of classic sailing boats in the Mediterranean - every late September, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez fills with hundreds of sails for a week of spectacular regattas. The Saint-Tropez tourist office provides the schedule of races and events. It's one of the finest Côte d'Azur destinations in autumn - ideal for experiencing Saint-Tropez without the summer prices and crowds in the Var.
Yes, campsites in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the Var offer water parks with heated pools - set among umbrella pines just a few kilometres from Saint-Tropez harbour and Pampelonne beach. These gulf campsites are the ideal base for a seaside and cultural holiday on the Côte d'Azur: experiencing Saint-Tropez's must-sees (Place des Lices, Annonciade museum, citadel), Port Grimaud, Ramatuelle and Nikki Beach.
