Things To Do In St Tropez

For many visitors to St Tropez, the top attraction is the chance to catch a glimpse of famous movie stars, sporting heroes and other celebrities, be it on one of the area’s fabled beaches or in an exclusive vibrant discotheque. However, there is much more to the town than beautiful people and perfect beaches, with a surprisingly intact old harbour area that has dozens of tasteful examples of architecture as well as some enthralling market squares, not to mention one of the best art museums in the world.

The Citadel and the Three Towers

Wandering around the old harbour district, visitors will come across some stunning examples of St Tropez’s ancient fortifications. The most magnificent of these is the 16th century Citadel, a well preserved fortress and home to the Naval Museum, which soars above the port. Then there are the three huge defensive seaside towers - Guillaume Tower (also known as Suffren Tower), Portalet Tower and Jarlier Tower - all of which pre-date the Citadel, feature distinctive architectural traits and afford great views of the coast.

Place aux Herbes

Probably the most bustling of St Tropez’s several squares, Place aux Herbes is a thriving market where you can buy all manner of fresh food and produce such as fish, meat, vegetables, fruit and flowers. A vital part of the town’s ordinary lifestyle, it is here where you’ll find locals going about their everyday business. Place aux Herbes is also the location of the St Tropez tourist information office.

Place des Lices

While Place aux Herbes is the centre of the town’s market shopping scene, Place des Lices is the place to head for traditional street entertainment and great casual dining. You can watch locals playing boules, listen to folk music and eat at some of the cheapest outlets in St Tropez.

Coastal footpath

This 12km coastal hiking path takes you from the Portalet Tower all the way to Pampelonne Beach, passing the shores of Canoubiers Bay, Cap St Pierre, Cap St Tropez, Les Salins Beach and Tahiti Beach. You’ll need to allow over three hours in order to cover the total distance to Pampelonne, but the scenery is well worth the effort, with stunning coastline, luxury yachts and golden beaches. The energetic can hike back along the same route, but most elect to take a minibus back to town after relaxing at St Tropez’s most famous beach.

Pampelonne Beach

Covering a length of about five kilometres, Pampelonne Beach is the best known of St Tropez’s strips of sand. At most times of year, there will be hundreds of tanning bodies lined up along the beach, with others wading out far into the bay, which has a safe, gently sloping floor that is shallow tens of metres from shore. The promenade is lined with beachside bars, cafés and restaurants which stay open very late each night, especially during the summer. Nudity is common here and other St Tropez beaches, although nudists need to cover up if they want to relax at a beachside venue.

Museums

St Tropez has only a few museums, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The highlight is the Annonciade Museum, also known as the Art Museum of St Tropez. The museum displays the work of some of the greatest masters of modern times, with themes centred around the French Riviera and Provence. Some of the artists featured include Bonnard, Braque, Derain, Maillol, Matisse, Seurat, Signac, Utrillo and Van Dongen. The museum is located near the old port in the tranquil Annonciade Chapel. Art lovers should also visit the 10th century Chateau Suffren, one of the town’s oldest buildings (a museum in its own right) and host to various temporary international art exhibits year-round.
Another famous museum is the Naval Museum, housed in the magnificent Citadel. The interesting maritime exhibits bring back to life the old glory days of the town, when its harbour was a prime strategic location. For a change of pace, the astounding Butterfly Museum, or Maison des Papillons, has thousands of excellently preserved specimens on display in a charming old house. The museum also has a wide range of jewellery and other items featuring butterflies as motifs.