What to do in Saint-Tropez? Port, Pampelonne and secrets of the Côte d’Azur

Saint-Tropez is one of the most legendary destinations on the Côte d’Azur — this small fishing port in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, in the Var, became a world symbol of glamour and freedom after Brigitte Bardot filmed And God Created Woman there in 1956. But things to do in Saint-Tropez go far beyond the jet-set’s golden image: it’s strolling through Place des Lices on a Saturday-morning market day, marvelling at the Matisse and Signac works in the Annonciade Museum, breathing the sea air on Pampelonne beach outside of July-August, and discovering the hidden villages of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. This comprehensive guide to Saint-Tropez’s activities and visits reveals everything — the must-sees, the real prices, the best times to go, and the secrets the usual guides don’t mention.

The Port of Saint-Tropez and Place des Lices

The port of Saint-Tropez is the town’s beating heart — its colourful quays lined with cafés, its yachts with gleaming hulls, and the pink and ochre façades of the fishermen’s houses reflected in the water make up Saint-Tropez’s most photographed image. A stroll along the Quai Jean-Jaurès at sunrise (before 7am in summer) is one of the most magical experiences on the Côte d’Azur — the golden light over the port of Saint-Tropez and the first fishermen returning to harbour are incomparably beautiful, and at that hour the town still belongs to the locals.

Place des Lices is Saint-Tropez’s authentic beating heart — this large square, shaded by century-old plane trees, is the site of the daily pétanque games (played here for generations, still today by Saint-Tropez’s old-timers) and of the Tuesday and Saturday morning market (8am-1pm) — one of the finest markets in Provence and the Var, with its stalls of fruit, flowers, cheeses, olives and Provençal fabrics. Brigitte Bardot herself loved coming to Place des Lices between film shoots — a story told by every local guide in Saint-Tropez. The Saint-Tropez tourist office is just steps from the square and hands out maps for every visit in town.

Pampelonne Beach and Nikki Beach

Pampelonne beach is Saint-Tropez’s legendary beach — its 4.5 km of fine sand in Ramatuelle, 6 km from the port of Saint-Tropez, is home to the most famous private beach clubs on the Côte d’Azur: Nikki Beach, Club 55, Tahiti Beach and around thirty other internationally renowned beach establishments. Pampelonne beach also has a completely free public stretch (accessible from the coastal car parks, €5-8/day) — perfect for enjoying one of the finest beaches in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez without spending a fortune. Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez is the most famous beach club in the world — its DJ atmosphere, white sun loungers and infinity pools embody the Saint-Tropez beach lifestyle, but expect a minimum spend of €80-150 for a day there.

What the guidebooks don’t mention: Pampelonne beach in September is a different world — the private beach clubs close mid-September, but the public sand is gorgeous, the water is still warm (23-24°C), and the 4.5 km of shoreline is nearly deserted. It’s the best time to enjoy Saint-Tropez’s beaches at a reasonable price.

The Citadel and Museums of Saint-Tropez

The Citadel of Saint-Tropez (16th-17th centuries) overlooks the town from a hill east of the port — its naval museum (€7 for adults, €4 for children) traces Saint-Tropez’s maritime history from antiquity to the Provence landings of August 1944. The ramparts of the Citadel of Saint-Tropez offer the finest panoramic view over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and the Maures massif — reachable on foot from the port of Saint-Tropez in 15 minutes via the Montée de la Citadelle (free access to the outer ramparts).

The Annonciade Museum (Place des Lices / Quai de l’Épi, €7 for adults) is Saint-Tropez’s artistic treasure — housed in a 16th-century chapel facing the port, it holds one of the finest collections of Post-Impressionist and Fauvist painting in France: works by Paul Signac (who introduced painters to Saint-Tropez in 1892), Matisse, Bonnard, Derain and Marquet. This museum, overlooked by hurried tourists, is one of Saint-Tropez’s finest surprises — don’t miss it.

The Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema (Place Blanqui, free entry) is Saint-Tropez’s tribute to the Gendarme film saga, shot here between 1964 and 1982 with Louis de Funès and Michel Galabru — the original costumes, the squad’s vehicles and behind-the-scenes photos will delight fans of the films. This free, unusual visit is one of the most popular with families and groups in Saint-Tropez.

The Maison des Papillons and Notre-Dame Church

The Maison des Papillons (Rue Étienne-Berny, €3 for adults) is one of the most surprising visits in Saint-Tropez — the collection of Alexandre Micka, Dalí’s adopted son, brings together more than 35,000 butterflies from around the world in a townhouse in old Saint-Tropez. A short (30-minute) but unforgettable visit for children and natural science enthusiasts, tucked away in a lane of the old town that even Saint-Tropez regulars barely know.

Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Church in Saint-Tropez (18th century, Place de l’Église) holds the reliquary bust of Saint Torpès — the town’s patron saint, whose head, according to legend, washed up on the beach in the 6th century after drifting from Pisa on a small boat. The Bravades de Saint-Tropez (mid-May), a procession in historical costume around the port to the sound of cannon fire, celebrate this patron saint — the most authentic festival in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and one of the oldest in France.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and Sailing Culture

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (late September to early October) is the largest gathering of classic sailboats and yachts in the Mediterranean — for a week, the waters of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez fill with hundreds of white sails, in one of the most moving nautical spectacles on the Côte d’Azur. The Saint-Tropez tourist office hands out the schedule of races and onshore events during Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Water activities at the port of Saint-Tropez are plentiful year-round: full-day sailing trips (€80-120/person), kayak and stand-up paddleboard rental, and diving in the gulf (€45-70 per dive).

Port Grimaud, Ramatuelle and the Surrounding Gulf

Port Grimaud, 8 km from Saint-Tropez on the shores of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, is “the little Provençal Venice” — this lakeside village, built entirely from scratch in 1966 by architect François Spoerry, is today an essential sight around Saint-Tropez: its colourful canal-side houses, bridges and jetties make it one of the most original destinations in the Var. Visiting Port Grimaud is free (open pedestrian access) — allow 2 hours for a full tour.

Ramatuelle, 6 km from Saint-Tropez via the D93, is one of the most beautiful hilltop villages in the Var — its medieval stone lanes, 17th-century church and views over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne beach make it an essential stop. Ramatuelle is also known for its theatre festival (July-August, open-air performances) — one of the best summer festivals in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The sunset from the ruins of the Ramatuelle windmill (a 15-minute walk from the village) is one of the finest on the Côte d’Azur.

Campsites with Water Parks in Saint-Tropez and the Gulf

Campsites in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the Var offer water parks with heated pools, set amid pines and vineyards — just a few kilometres from the port of Saint-Tropez, Pampelonne beach and the villages of the gulf. A camping stay in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez puts you within reach of every activity: Pampelonne beach (Nikki Beach, public beach), the port of Saint-Tropez (the Place des Lices market, the Annonciade Museum, the Citadel of Saint-Tropez), Port Grimaud, Ramatuelle and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez in autumn. The Côte d’Azur around the Gulf of Saint-Tropez is ideal for a holiday from May to October — the best time to experience Saint-Tropez without the summer crowds.