St Tropez Holiday Guide

St Tropez is one of the worst-kept secret treasures of the French Riviera. Not only are beautiful luxury villas in St Tropez in abundance, but the resort has been the place to see and be seen since the 50s. It’s become synonymous with yacht culture and high living; a must-visit for luxury lovers.

Strolling around the harbour quay beside the open-air cafés and the dazzling collection of super-yachts, St. Tropez is people-watching heaven.

When to Visit St. Tropez

The season begins in mid-April, a beautiful time to visit when the mimosas are in bloom. The beach clubs usually open in early May although the sea is fairly chilly for swimming until late May.

Things start to quieten down in September, but the weather is still usually fantastic, and the Mediterranean is warm so this is an excellent time to visit for a luxury villa holiday in St. Tropez. The famous sailing regatta ‘Les Voiles de St. Tropez’ is in late September and adds some sparkle to that time of the season.

What We Love About St. Tropez

We love sitting at a harbour-side café with a crisp Provençal rosé watching the world stroll by, with the backdrop of the ochre converted fisherman’s houses and the row of yachts worth roughly the same as the GDP of some small countries.

Stunning luxury villas surround the area and super-yachts line the harbour, whilst the town retains much of its Provençal charm. Designer boutiques sit quite harmoniously between little artisan grocery shops, and the locals still play pétanque in the square.

St. Tropez has managed to somehow retain its fishing village ambience and charm despite the glamour and wealthy visitors. It is one of the only places in the world where Louis Vuitton and Dior boutiques nestled down narrow streets mix seamlessly with grocery stores and market stalls selling local Provençal produce. But it does blend so effortlessly.

Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of Ferraris and old folk playing boules in the Place des Lices which makes St. Tropez so unique.

Aside from the promenading and people-watching in the old town, there are seven beaches in St. Tropez to explore whilst on a luxury villa holiday by the beach, including the famous Pampelonne Beach, a three-mile stretch of golden sand with 27 beach clubs. Be sure to reserve a table if dropping by for lunch or you will be in for a wait.

The rocky headland and wooded peninsular are stunning, as are the views over the bay towards the Maures mountains.

Getting There

Toulon-Hyères Airport is a 1-hour drive and Nice International Airport is approximately a 1 hour 30-minute drive.

The Best Places To Eat and Drink in St. Tropez

There are numerous good quality restaurants in St. Tropez, and several of them are exceptional. A personal favourite is La Vague d’Or. The setting is perfect for dining out of your luxury villa, right on the water’s edge, and the food has earned the restaurant 3 Michelin stars – the only one in St. Tropez with this accolade.

Staying in a luxury villa in St. Tropez you are never far from some of the most glamorous and exclusive clubs and bars on the Côte d’Azur, packed with an international crowd of the rich and the beautiful. Perhaps the most famous is Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach and Les Caves du Roy, part of the Byblos Hotel.