About St. Tropez

The history of St. Tropez is as complex as it is for many towns and villages in the Riviera, the whole area being subject to numerous power struggles over the centuries. The town was originally named after Saint Torpes of whom it is said he was decapitated and placed in boat, along with a dog and a cockerel and cast adrift in the Mediterranean, the boat eventually ending up at what is now called St. Tropez. The area did not come under French rule, as did much of the Riviera, until the end of the 17th century, though a curiosity of the port is its claim to have witnessed the first meeting between the French and Japanese when the samurai warrior Hasekura Tsunenaga was forced by a storm to take shelter in St. Tropez while on his way to Rome.

Though already popular with many of the world’s elite, St. Tropez first came to worldwide prominence with the release of the Film ‘And God Created Woman’starring Brigitte Bardot, after which the character of the town changed with the influx of the new jet-set. As a consequence, the harbor was expanded and extended to the point where today there are two marinas with over 800 berths, plus the facility to cater for cruise liners. As a result, the main pastimes in and around St. Tropez, apart from celebrity spotting, generally revolve around water sports, though the town also has a cultural heritage which reflects the popularity of the town with many famous painters, including Matisse and Albert Marquet, plus more recently David Hockney and Massimo Campigli. Beaches also play a big part in the life of St. Tropez, whether private 30m stretches or larger and more public ones and interestingly, St. Tropez caused quite a stir during the 1960’s when topless sunbathing became a much debated issue.

Each year in September St. Tropez plays host to a regatta which has worldwide attraction, called ‘les Voiles de St. Tropez’. 2013 is a special year in St. Tropez as it is a year of celebrating the history of Malta, while other annual events include Musical Spring in June, as well as the vintage car ‘Ralleye des Princesses’ which starts in Paris and ends in St. Tropez. June also sees the Turnoi du Var Polo championships in St. Tropez, while 2013 will see the opening of St. Tropez’s first maritime museum in the dungeons of the town’s citadel. July is the month for St. Tropez to host its round in the Classic Tennis Tour which has seen the likes of McEnroe, Navratilova and Borg play in the past.

With such discerning residents, it should come as no surprise to learn that St. Tropez has a three Michelin starred restaurant, the Résidence de la Pinede, with head chef Arnaud Donckele receiving the third star in 2013. La Pinede is also a 5 star luxury hotel which epitomizes the luxurious lifestyle represented by St. Tropez. La Badiane is also a Michelin starred restaurant, though if your budget doesn’t quite extend to such fine dining, le Girelier and Black box offer far more affordable regional cuisine. However, with such international residents, ever taste needs catering for, so there are also restaurants specializing in Thai, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine.