Unmissable Attractions in St Tropez
St Tropez has a big reputation and it certainly lives up to expectation. Here’s our guide on the top 22 unmissable attractions, ranging from the architecture and museums to the spectacular beaches.
Saviour the History of La Ponche
Natural Feature
Church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption
Church
La Glaye
See Avant-Garde Art at the Musée de l'Annonciade
Museum, Art Gallery
The Tour du Portalet
La Bouillabaisse Plage
Restaurant, Seafood
Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma
Building, Cinema, Museum
The Citadel
Natural Feature, Historical Landmark
Musée de L’Histoire Maritime
Building, Museum, Architectural Landmark
St Tropez has a rich maritime heritage to discover. The Citadel was built in the 17th century after the King sent his engineer to oversee work to build a fortress that could fend off an attack. The citadel was turned into a naval museum in the 1950s and now celebrates the lives of locals who worked and fought on the seas. The museum is housed in the dungeons, which have been protected since 1921, but the entire site received protected status in 1995.
Follow the Coastal Path
Natural Feature
The coastline is wonderful around St Tropez – full of rugged walkways and little paths that open out into expansive beaches. It’s possible to walk the entire coastline for miles and miles (the “littoral”), stopping on the way at the Cap Camarat lighthouse before taking in the nudist beach at Tahiti Beach and ending up at a lovely beachside restaurant.
The Plage de Gigaro
Chill Out on Pampelonne Beach
Natural Feature
It’s the most obvious choice but a visit to St Tropez is not complete without visiting the most famous of its beaches and the place that put St Tropez on the map. Brigitte Bardot arrived on the beach to film key scenes of her movie “And God… Created Woman” in the 1950s. They built a shack to house the crew, the Club 55, which is still the place to have dinner and celebrity-spot. The film made her – and the beach – a star.
Club 55
Bar
Eat a Tarte Tropézienne
Bakery, Pastries, Dessert
St Tropez has its own dessert that is hugely popular. The “Tarte Tropézienne” was created by a Polish baker in 1955 when he opened a bakery in the centre of town. It was based on the French brioche – but cut into two and filled with cream, using his grandmother’s recipe. He was asked to cater for Brigitte Bardot’s film crew working on Pampelonne beach. She loved his cake, named it and both became immensely popular.
The Quai Jean Jaurés
Nikki Beach
La Maison des Papillons
Museum
Tahiti Beach
Restaurant
Take in the Views over Cap Camarat
Architectural Landmark
The Cap Camarat lighthouse is the second highest in France and offers amazing views over the bay. Afterwards you can swim on the beach below, called Bonnes Terrasse, or continue further round the coast on an even longer walk. A perfect escape from the parties and living the “high life”.
Bonne Terrasse
St Tropez Cemetery
Historical Landmark
This beautiful cemetery is a perfect final resting spot, nestled on the coast just outside of town. Two seminal movies used it as a location, “La Piscine” and “And God… Created Woman”.
Drink in the Vieux Port
Architectural Landmark
The social life of St Tropez centres around the Old Port. Many of the good restaurants are located here and it’s a great place to have breakfast, an “apéro” (a pre-dinner drink) or a full-blown three-course meal. It’s where the night starts and continues into the early hours with some of the best clubs and bars. It’s a cliché but vital.