St Tropez Entertainment

St Tropez is one of the most happening places on the French Riviera. There is no shortage of activities to pursue once the sun has set, and even during the day there is usually some event happening, particularly during the summer months. Opening hours tend to stretch well into the night, allowing visitors plenty of time to relax, dine and shop after a day at the beach or before venturing out on the town.

Nightlife

With one of the most varied and exciting clubbing scenes on the Riviera, St Tropez does not disappoint night owls. There is an amazing selection of bars, clubs and discotheques, both in the centre of the town and along the shores of the most popular beaches. Many of the most luxurious hotels have exclusive nightspots catering to their celebrity clientele such as Les Caves du Roy and L’Esquinade.

Pampelonne Beach has a great strip of clubs, each with its own distinctive ambience and theme. Great venues for an early glass of wine in the late afternoon or a sun-downer, the beachside bars become much livelier as soon as the twilight disappears. In summer, St Tropez will party until the small hours every night, with many nightspots closing or only open on certain evenings throughout the rest of the year. For those not interested in the clubbing scene, there is still a lot to do around the town, with plenty of market squares hosting impromptu street performances and boules matches.

Theatre and music

While St Tropez is not particularly well-known as a performing arts centre, the town does tend to have some excellent classical piano and organ concerts throughout the year. These generally take place at the Renaissance Cinema, although other venues and luxury hotels in the town also host music performances. Your lodgings or the tourist information office should be able to provide you with a current programme of events and may even be able to arrange tickets. There are also annual music festivals in nearby towns such as Ramatuelle.

Festivals

St Tropez features the usual annual religious festivals typical of French towns, but also has a few unique events that are fascinating to attend, normally celebrating the town’s military accomplishments. Christmas and New Year are always lively, and there are a host of annual sporting events held both onshore and offshore.

• ARMEN Festival is a fascinating and fun festival that successfully attempts to combine winter sports, water sports, art appreciation and partying. The events, held in St Tropez, feature entertaining receptions in luxury hotels, yachting regattas and art exhibitions, while the skiing activities take place at Isola in the southern French Alps (February).
• IRC Mediterranean Championships are one of the pre-eminent races on the international yachting calendar. The event is a delight to observe from vantage points along the St Tropez coast or from the deck of a luxury motor cruiser, from where many of the rich and famous choose to observe (April).
• Les 448emes Bravades is the town’s most important festival and is celebrated quite solemnly. It commemorates the town’s gallant defence over the centuries against invaders such as pirates and the Spanish navy. There are also offerings and prays to the town’s patron saint, Tropez. The festival is held over three days and usually has other events running concurrently such as yachting regattas and art exhibitions (May).
• Bravade des Espagnols is another festival dedicated to the town’s military past, celebrating the successful defence of the town against attackers on June 15, 1637. There are street parades and celebrations that go on until the early hours of the morning (June).
• Ramatuelle Jazz Festival is an annual event that runs for several days and features some of the best international jazz bands. The jazz festival is held in the nearby town of Ramatuelle (October).