Travel Eye on St Tropez (France)

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Overview:

This once sleepy seaside town shot to popularity in the 1950's thanks to the celebrity status of sex goddess Brigitte Bardot. Her movie "And God Created Woman" had droves of young socialites flocking here and the area soon became the playground for the young, rich and famous.

The town is said to be named after a Christian martyr and the town still has a parade in his honour each year. Also the home of well known artists such as Matisse and Paul Signac, who were drawn by the obvious visual charms of the town.

The area suffered bombings during the second world war as it was one of the Allied landing sites. Nevertheless, much of beauty survived the onslaught and the town is still as popular and glamorous as ever.

St Tropez has long held the reputation of being the "black sheep" of the renowned French Riviera resort towns, where anything goes, the more sinful the better. Sexy starlets were flaunting themselves topless here back in the 1930s, long before the beautiful people dared disrobe elsewhere, and St Tropez' reputation as a kinky carnival town attracting the more bohemian members of the 'in' crowd continues to this day.

Accommodation here is of the highest quality, a favourite of the rich and famous.

The area immediately around St Tropez is pretty grim; congested roads are lined with billboards and neon signs. But the surrounding hills are almost uninhabited and make for a welcome excursion from the masses and the mayhem.

The best view of this richly green and flowering countryside is from the hilltop village of Gassin, its lower neighbour Ramatuelle, or the tiny road between them, the dramatic route des Moulins de Paillas, where among the vineyards are three ruined windmills that were once powered by the dreaded winter mistral. Several vineyards offer wine tasting. Along the coast there are a number of good walking trails. Maps are available at the tourist office.

Behind the cafés, the small streets and old buildings of St Tropez form a picturesque scene, but they are popular venues for their multitude of shops and restaurants rather than their historical significance. Place aux Herbes is a lively square that has been a centre of activity for centuries; today it is a busy enclave of vegetable, fruit and flower stalls.

Every May the town centre bubbles to life with the St Tropez bravade, a colourful festival dating back to the 15th century. It originated as a procession in honour of the town's patron saint - whose bust is carried through the town, accompanied by a guard of honour with gun salvos, and Provençal singing and dancing.

Locality:

St Tropez is found in southern France in the Cote d'Azur.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

La Musee de l'Annonciade - This will be a treat for art lovers, with its collection of paintins by Derain, Signac and other artists. Many of the works are of recognisable sights in and around the area.

Musee Naval - This museum is situated in a 16th century citadel above the city's port and will be of interest to all WW2 memorabilia enthuisiasts.

Grimaud - Get away from the bustle of the city and take a trip to this nearby port. A quaint, picturesque village with stone houses, fountains and a church in the centre- complete the picture with a castle on top! The interesting antique shops and boutiques make for enjoyable browsing too.

Pampelonne - Throw away your costume and go au naturel on this super famous beach situated outside of St Tropz. You will need to take the shuttle from pl. des Lices to get there. Hop off at Capon-Pinet to get to plage Tahiti, which is the beginning of this stretch of beach.

Plage des Graniers - If you dont have the time to travel, this nearby beach is just 10 minutes from the old port along chemin des Graniers. You will probably avoid the crowds too, as they will have all rushed off to Pampelonne. But hey the sunshine is just the same here and you'll get a better spot to stretch out on.

Ile du Levant - Oh my word, a whole nudist island- a sun worshippers dream with beaches to choose from. This island is part of the Iles D'Hyeres just of the coast of St Tropez. This island used to be inhabited by a settlement of monks; they would be most afronted to see the place today as most of the inhabitants stroll about in the "altogether" most of the time. Must save a lot on laundry expenses. Don't forget the sunblock for those sensitive areas.

des Lices - Experience the hustle and bustle of the morning market held here. Pick up a bottle of lavender water, aniseed flavoured Pastis or other local product as an alternative to the usual expensive mass produced souvenirs. Markets usually finish at noon and are stocked with local specialities.

Pop into a boulangerie or pastisserie for famous fresh French pastries and breads, or the epicerie fine for typical French delicatessens. The French are reknown for their food, therefore as much variety of this must be sampled whilst you can.