Saint-Tropez is the most distant town on the Cote d’Azur (AKA the French Riveria). It is practically a byword for la vie douce, the luxurious life. Owing to the high concentration of wealthy persons and the lack of public transportation here, it is recommended that you rent a car in Nice or Cannes so you can see the sights here over a day or two.

Saint-Tropez is a distant town on the Cote d’Azur (AKA the French Riveria). It is practically a byword for la vie douce, the luxurious life. If you want to experience luxurious homes and parties and encounter a film star by chance, you will not be disappointed by St. Tropez. The summer tourists like to play a game called “I discovered (a star).” The U2 lead singer Bono, Uma Thurman, Beyonce and Paris Hilton are all regular visitors here. To be sure, the Place des Lices still retains the small town feel of southern France. Many artists still make their home in the town, and the Café des Arts is a coffee shop that artists like to visit. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire town from the hilltop of the Citadelle de St. Tropez. The town has almost 100 large and small beaches, the most famous of which is the Plage de Pampelonne, which is packed with bars and restaurants.

The Place des Lices Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays is the most lively spot in Saint-Tropez and is located in the old town. The market is all encompassing, and you can find everything from fresh fruit to linen clothes made in Thailand, and even the handicrafts of various places. But when noon arrives, the crowd seemingly disperses in a minute. In addition, the Place des Lices has two roads leading to the port: the Rue Georges Clemenceau and Rue Etienne Berny. All along the way there are many high quality product shops and they are well worth a look. The local leather sandals are very famous.

Spend a night in this small town in southern France, and get the same luxurious life of Europe’s and America’s megastars

The Musée de l’Annonciade is Saint-Tropez’s landmark building. No matter where you are in the town, you can easily see this orange and yellow towering building. Today the art museum chiefly houses paintings and sculptures from the early 20th century, including the pointillist, Nabis and fauvist movements. There is also a little story about the art museum. It was Paul Signac who first discovered the allure of the town and bought a home here, and then he invited Henri Matisse and other painters to settle in this town. Thus was the fauvist movement born. The 56 artworks originally belonged to a wealthy collector, and then he donated them to the art museum, with the sole requirement being that the works could not leave Saint-Tropez.

The Citadelle Fort is also called the Citadelle de Saint-Tropez. It is located at the highest point of Saint-Tropez harbor, and it stands on the site of the 17th century fort that was built to prevent a Spanish invasion. You can see a panorama of Saint-Tropez from inside it. The fort is open to the public free of charge, but you must pay to enter the Musee Naval inside. There you can see the history of the landing of the Allies in 1944. You can also see feeding sparrows frequently all around the fort. The Musee Naval chiefly exhibits the history of the port of Saint-Tropez, including famous feats of sailors and ship types.

Saint-Tropez not only allows you to see the luxurious daily life of the ultra rich. The town actually has a very artistic feel. The Maison des Papillons not far from the coast was created by the artist Dany Lartigue, and several thousand butterfly specimens adorn its walls. There is no lack of rare species among them, such as the Black Apollo from the Mercantour National Park. The exhibit of butterflies also has a unique style in that the artist has fused the specimens and paintings into a single whole; the paintings are used to express their living environment, and the lovely butterflies and beautiful colored paintings are intertwined with each other. If you should come to Saint-Tropez, we recommend that you visit the Maison des Papillons.

Saint-Tropez has nearly 100 large and small beaches, the most famous of which is the Plage de Pampelonne, which is packed with bars and restaurants. In the summertime you can often see Hollywood stars who come here to spend their vacations. The many restaurants on the beaches compose a unique landscape, and the most famous of them is Club 55, which is celebrated for the film “And God Created Woman.” In addition, we recommend the Plage des Jumeaux restaurant, which mainly serves Mediterranean seafood. It is also the first choice for families, since it has amusement facilities for parents and children and it also provides beach toys. Nevertheless, there are many tourists at the Plage de Pampelonne, and if you want to experience a pure vacation atmosphere the large white beaches of Plage de Tahiti and Plage des Salins are more suitable.

Before you leave Saint-Tropez, remember that you must try the local specialty cake: the tarte tropezienne is a double layer orange blossom-flavored sponge cake with a heavy cheesecake inside, and the top is baked crisp and tasty. It is absolutely delicious. This dessert was invented in the 1950s, and derives from the inspiration of a Polish cake maker who moved to the town during WWII and brought this cake along with him. It was unexpectedly loved by Brigitte Bardot, the starlet who was called France’s “Marilyn Monroe” at that time, and by chance this dessert received its current name.

Saint-Tropez is famous for its beaches, and the many restaurants on the beach are also a unique landscape. The Plage L’Orangerie is located next to the famous Plage de Pampelonne, and it is an outstanding popular local beach restaurant. Here you can sit under a parasol, raise a glass of champagne and enjoy Mediterranean delicacies. additionally, the main courses here cost about 30 Euros, and it is an average of about 50 Euros per person. The restaurant also rents out beach supplies. Two lounge chairs and one parasol cost 38 Euros.