Saint Tropez is, quite simply, the most famous resort in Europe and it was attracting the artistic and dissolute long before Brigitte Bardot’s time. In the Forties and Fifties, the village was a summertime extension of the Parisian Left Bank: Juliette Greco, Boris Vian, Sartre and Picasso. Then Bardot appeared in ‘And God Created Women’ and this film brought a lot of publicity. Since then Saint Tropez was never the same again, everyone wanted to see this place.
Starting from the middle fifties Saint Tropez became the summer residence and the place to be of the beau monde. Bohème chic, that’s what Saint Tropez stood for. Nowadays the great, the rich and the A-listers are staying here and the ever so nice fishing village has lost its original charme. But don’t worry, it’s still very nice to visit Saint Tropez.
Because Saint Tropez has managed to renovate all its historical buildings and to maintain its typical Provencal character. There are no high-rise buildings, but characteristic pastel coloured houses along the quay. Luxury boats in the port, Maserati’s and Ferrari’s and beautiful people in the streets, plenty to see in Saint Tropez. In addition you have a chance to spot some celebrities at the Pampelonne beach in Ramatuelle or during the nightlife in one of the luxury clubs in Saint Tropez. All this gives Saint Tropez a certain atmosphere and appearance, but be warned: in summer, at least, you won’t be alone. The place welcomes up about 100.000 visitors a day.
At peak periods in summer expect world-class traffic jams on the main road. One of the options is to drive to St Raphaël or Ste Maxime, leave your car there and take the ferry across the bay. In St Raphaël you can catch the Bateaux de St Raphaël shuttle service and in Ste Maxime, make for the Bateaux Verts.
The Green Boats offer a swift, regular shuttle service, seven days a week, four times an hour on every regular route for ten months the year. And, on top of that. it’s refreshing on a hot summer day. Amusez-vous!
