Things You Should do in Saint Tropez
Saint Tropez is a quaint fishing village and one of France’s most charming tourist destinations. It is an ancient fishing village that has all the perfect set up for a great vacation destination. The village’s incredible beaches range from the popular celebrity-spotting Pampelonne to the small and glamorous La Ponche or La Glaye.
The adorable Mediterranean is enchanting to visitors who are looking to explore Saint Tropez’s depths by kayak, paddleboard, or Segway. There are many resorts here to make your time worthwhile.
Here Are Some Interesting Things to do in Saint Tropez:
Stroll Down the Old Port’s Promenade
The Old Port, also known as Vieux Port, is located in the village’s center and one of the highly popular attractions here. The village’s port has many tiny fishing boats, colorful houses, and many trendy cafes with great views.
Just sitting in one of the cafes at the village’s harbor while you people-watch is a wonderful experience you should look forward to. Visitors can wake up early to visit the Place aux Herbes at St. Tropez port, which is a bubbling market square where they can shop for items like vegetables, fruits, or flowers.
Take the Sun in on the Beach
Undoubtedly the most popular beach in Saint Tropez, Pampelonne, has pristine sands and fascinating views. The beach has featured in many movies and photos of celebrities from different parts of the world.
The charm is what makes it very crowded in most periods of the year. The beach’s extended swath of fine sand is surrounded by big sand dunes covered restaurants and bars, beach clubs renting out umbrellas, and chairs.
Do not forget that visitors can get to most Saint Tropez beaches by car. As such, you might want to rent a car while around. In the case that you want a beach that can be reached by foot, Plage de la Bouillabaisse is the fit. It is a public beach, unlike most beaches in the village, and is located outside the harbor.
Some of the low profile and less crowded beaches in Saint Tropezare nevertheless cool, like La Ponche, Plages la Glaye, and de la Fontanette. There are some close to the village, like Plage de la Bouillabaisse, which has a spectacular view of the Massif des Maures Mountains and few decent beach club bars and diners.
See History at La Citadelle- Museum of Maritime History
Saint Tropez attracts art and nature lovers with its vast array of museums on different subjects. This museum is located in the previous dungeon of the strikingly expressive Citadel of Saint Tropez, showcasing exhibits that chronicle 500 years of the village’s history and its strong ties to the sea.
The exhibits also showcase different voyages of the village’s seamen over various world seas, fishing trips along the coast of Provence, voyages around the Cape Horn on big sailing vessels, or India expeditions on big steamship vessels that the Far East Company owned.
The Museum of Maritime History revers the lives of town heroes like Bailli de Suffren, General Allard, and Hippolyte Bouchard, and also the many unknown sailors who served on the navy liners or braved stormy seas win the course of working on merchant ships. The museum is located at 1 Montee de la Citadelle, 83990 Saint-Tropez.
Take a Boat Tour or Hire One
Boats are a cool way to relax and have fun. If you do not have a nice boat parked on some of the piers of the village, no pressure, you can get one on the rental market for a day. We have to admit that boat rentals are expensive, but they are worth it, especially if you love yachting.
Alternatively, you can take a 1-hour guided Saint Tropez boat tour in or around the area, and you will be educated on all the popular tourist attractions. If you are visiting in a big group, say about 8, there is a private tour on Saint Tropez’s Gulf to help you out.
A good number of tourists stay in Paris, Nice, etc., but visit Saint Tropez for its specialties. So if you are already in the country and what to visit the village by boat in the day, there are many tours that operate from Nice or Cannes.
Enjoy the Spectacular View While Sipping on a Cocktail
Do you fancy people-watching from a unique position? Or just sitting in a café terrace and taking in the panoramic scenic while sipping a glass of cocktail? It’s part of how to enjoy Saint Tropez with ease. In fact, one of the best things to do in the village is to spend some quality time in chic bars and cafes.
You can goggle at the yachts in the Old Port’s cafes or just savor the incredible bird-eye view all the way from Ermitage Hotel while sipping on an apéro. Or you can opt to have a pleasant-tasting dinner in Le Dit restaurant. The options are much!
See Musee de l’Annonciade
When you seem not to know what next to do or see in Saint Tropez despite the long list of options available, we suggest you take a step in a museum. There are a way museum visits spark our interests and fancy.
The Musee de L’Annonicade is a place you can check out for fun. It used to be called the old Chapelle Notre-Dame de l’Annociade but converted into a museum. This impressive museum is a repository of post-impressionist paintings from different eras in history.
As an art buff, you will be treated to works by veterans like Matisse, Bonnard, Signac, and many others that lived in Saint-Tropez at a point in time. Do not forget to look at the port from the museum. The view is phenomenal!
Visit the Citadel
Ensure you go up to the citadel when you are around. It is one of the nicest things to do. The Saint Tropez Citadel has an adorable hexagonal shape that shields the village from above. At the turn of the 17th-century, the walls were built and are also perfect for sightseeing.
At the citadel, you can make a stop at the Musee d’Histoire Maritime, where visitors can learn interesting stories about the village’s maritime credentials.
Walk at Place des Lices
Also known as Place Carnot, Place des Lices is the spot to visit if you want to get away from the luxury atmosphere that is less tranquil. The place gives off a quaint vibe of the village as you enjoy the natural bliss.
The place is the village square situated near the Old Port. And if you are not a stranger to France, you might be well-acquainted with the popular game here, pétangue (a boules-like ball game). Even locals often gather here in their drove to play the game and chill at Café des Arts. You can shop as well, especially on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at the village’s market, Marché de Saint-Tropez.
Grab a Delicious Bite of Local Delicacies at a Restaurant
Locals at Saint Tropez do not play with their food. Upon arrival, treat yourself to some great food that is native to the village. There are many bars, restaurants, and cafes to dine if you are famished or just want to experience the local cuisine. For some spots to check out, consider these.
Bistro Canaille: For a lot of tourists, this place is the best place in Saint Tropez for some quiet lunch.
La Ramade: This is another nice restaurant that serves both French and Mediterranean food. There is a fine garden where you can dine and, at the same time, appreciating nature.
Auberge des Maures: For Provencal options, you will be spoiled for choice here.
Chez Les Garcons: With a comfy ambiance and cinema-themed décor, there is much to love here for apart from the delicious French dishes.
Le Dit Vin Restaurant: For traditional pizza and French cuisine with great ingredients, you should visit here.
Le Café: This place has a little history to it. It is a wonderful old cafe and the spot where French artists and painters used to frequent right in the 18th-century. Their food is almost matchless.
Do not forget to try Saint Tropez’s traditional dessert: Tarte Tropézienne! This is a scrumptious French brioche with whipped vanilla cream. The dessert, along with a glass of French wine, is a perfect match to experience the goodness of Saint Tropez.
Hike Along the Pathways of Sentier du Littoral
Whether you are experienced in hiking or not, the Sentier du Littoral is an interesting place to have fun while on vacation. This hiking trail spans about 3 miles to the tip of the peninsula. It starts from the beautiful Plage de la Garoupe is a paved path with fantastic views of the Baie de la Garoupe and the remote Alps.
As you approach the end of the peninsula’s tip, the trail changes into a rough path that stretches along big cliffs and awesome switchbacks. However, be advised that this part can be dangerous in bad weather conditions. The hike would last about 2 hours. Who knows- it could be the most momentous hours of your Saint Tropez trip.
Winetasting at Chevalier Torpez
The wine culture here is heavy! Situated on 395 acres on the hills towering above the village and the Mediterranean, Vignobles de Saint-Tropez produce their wines in one of France’s most beautiful places. Vignobles de Saint-Tropez is a vineyard and winemaker who, since 1908, has been making great wines.
Chevalier Torpez is Vignobles de Saint-Tropez’s premium brand wine that celebrates a courageous Roman officer. The climate is good to produce wines. The sunlight is bright, and the landscapes are simply astonishing.
Test your Skills at the European Diving School
This place is an award-winning scuba dive center located in the village center. At the European Diving School, there are many multilingual tutors and great dive boats that will convey you to some of the most terrific dive sites in the area.
Rousseau Grotto, La Grande Que’rolle, La Gabiniere, and Sardinaux are part of the places you will dive. At those places, you will see immense craggy formations, gorges, swim-throughs with spectacular flora, soft corals, and sea fans.
There are also interesting wrecks to dive, including some airplanes. The European Diving School provides diving courses to diving enthusiasts as young as 8-years-old.
Things You Should do in Saint Tropez – Summary
Despite having a population of fewer than 5000 people, this place has it all. From museums to a diving school to nice beaches to wine-producing areas to terrific restaurants. Saint Tropez is the place you should visit when you are in southern France.