St. Tropez
by Jakob Jelling
Most people have heard of the St. Tropez tan, and
this little town on the beach in the south of France
lives up to its name. With public and private
beaches both nude and otherwise, St. Tropez is a
relaxation paradise.
It wasn't always this kind of place. For many
centuries, the coast near St. Tropez was
uninhabitable, not because the climate was
different, but because St. Tropez suffered from
corsair raids out of North Africa until Charles X
captured Algiers in 1830. The few natives who
chose to live here cowered in scattered walled
villages like Grimaud and Bormes, built high on hills
safely away from the sea where the view of the
coast and watch-towers gave adequate warning to
bring in families and cattle to safety. St. Tropez
itself was destroyed by the Moorish corsairs
multiple times from 739 AD onward.
Today, those in St. Tropez want to be on the
once-shunned coast. St. Tropez lies at the end of a
road, out on the end of a peninsula, and has been
frequented by literary and visual arts greats like
Guy de Maupassant, Matisse, and Bonnard. Some
of the finest works of these visitors may be found at
L'Annonciade, a deconsecrated chapel converted
into first a home, and now among the very best
twentieth-century French art galleries in the
country. Among the works to be found there are
Matisse's Corsican Landscape and Vuillard's Two
Women by Lamplight.
St. Tropez has an unconventional atmosphere,
largely due to these visitors. Just after the first
world war, it was discovered and adopted by
Bohemians, attracting the most unconventional and
unique people of France and beyond. Thousands
of campers take spaces along the bay of St. Tropez
each year, and the population here swells in the
summer to as many as ten times the number of
regular inhabitants of the town. In the 1950s, St.
Tropez acquired real glamour when Brigit Bardot
and many of her friends made it their favorite
summer home.
ST TROPEZ WEATHER
If you go to St. Tropez, go in the summer; during
winter, the weather here can be miserable. St.
Tropez has the misfortune of facing north, and
picks up the cold weather of the mistral, the north
wind, when it blows in the winter.
During the summer, however, unbeatable nightlife
can be found around the Quai Jean Jaures, and the
old town can be found further inland. If you speak
French and love red wine, stop by Bertoncini's
wineshop on the Rue de la Citadelle; you'll find no
tourists and a warm welcome. After your wine, look
uphill for the old citadel, walled in twice with a moat
between the walls. On the first floor is an excellent
maritime museum, and from the upper floors you'll
have a breathtaking view of the entire peninsula,
the gulf, and the Alps on the far horizon.
ST TROPEZ BEACHES
Along the Route des Plages (beaches) you'll find
most of the best beaches. The best way to get
there is by bicycle (you'll find rentals in many
places), not car or foot; it's a long walk, especially if
you visit more than one beach.
St. Tropez Festivals
The bravade is a popular festival every May 16
celebrating St. Torpes, for whom St. Tropez is
rather dyslexically named. Torpes was martyred at
Pisa in 68 AD, and his decapitated body washed
onshore here, where it was decently buried
hundreds of miles from his venerated head in Pisa.
During the bravade, the bust of the saint is paraded
through the streets of St. Tropez by men in
old-fashoned military garb. It's been described as a
war movie blended with Laurel and Hardy, but don't
tell the marchers that; the locals take it deadly
seriously. On June 15, another bravade is held, this
one celebrating the victory of the local count over a
large Spanish invading fleet in 1637. Don't expect
to get much sleep during these festivals; one of the
most outstanding qualities of them is the habit of
bravadeurs for firing their blunderbusses into the
air quite late into the night.
St. Tropez Shopping
The Rue Sibilli is filled with trendy boutiques and
unique items. If you're more interested in the
gastronomic delights of France, try the place de
Lices, where you can find produce and regional
foods as well as clothes and collectibles.
St. Tropez Nightlife
Les Caves du Roy in the Byblos Hotel is the most
exclusive nightspot in St. Tropez, but you can find
everything from Le Papagayo, a young adult and
older teen spot, to the summer classical music
concerts in the gardens of Chateau de la Moutte.
St. Tropez is very quiet during its cold winters, but
in the summer, you will rarely see things winding
down until dawn.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com.
Please visit http://www.eurotomic.com/france.php if
you're planning a trip to France.
by Jakob Jelling
Most people have heard of the St. Tropez tan, and
this little town on the beach in the south of France
lives up to its name. With public and private
beaches both nude and otherwise, St. Tropez is a
relaxation paradise.
It wasn't always this kind of place. For many
centuries, the coast near St. Tropez was
uninhabitable, not because the climate was
different, but because St. Tropez suffered from
corsair raids out of North Africa until Charles X
captured Algiers in 1830. The few natives who
chose to live here cowered in scattered walled
villages like Grimaud and Bormes, built high on hills
safely away from the sea where the view of the
coast and watch-towers gave adequate warning to
bring in families and cattle to safety. St. Tropez
itself was destroyed by the Moorish corsairs
multiple times from 739 AD onward.
Today, those in St. Tropez want to be on the
once-shunned coast. St. Tropez lies at the end of a
road, out on the end of a peninsula, and has been
frequented by literary and visual arts greats like
Guy de Maupassant, Matisse, and Bonnard. Some
of the finest works of these visitors may be found at
L'Annonciade, a deconsecrated chapel converted
into first a home, and now among the very best
twentieth-century French art galleries in the
country. Among the works to be found there are
Matisse's Corsican Landscape and Vuillard's Two
Women by Lamplight.
St. Tropez has an unconventional atmosphere,
largely due to these visitors. Just after the first
world war, it was discovered and adopted by
Bohemians, attracting the most unconventional and
unique people of France and beyond. Thousands
of campers take spaces along the bay of St. Tropez
each year, and the population here swells in the
summer to as many as ten times the number of
regular inhabitants of the town. In the 1950s, St.
Tropez acquired real glamour when Brigit Bardot
and many of her friends made it their favorite
summer home.
ST TROPEZ WEATHER
If you go to St. Tropez, go in the summer; during
winter, the weather here can be miserable. St.
Tropez has the misfortune of facing north, and
picks up the cold weather of the mistral, the north
wind, when it blows in the winter.
During the summer, however, unbeatable nightlife
can be found around the Quai Jean Jaures, and the
old town can be found further inland. If you speak
French and love red wine, stop by Bertoncini's
wineshop on the Rue de la Citadelle; you'll find no
tourists and a warm welcome. After your wine, look
uphill for the old citadel, walled in twice with a moat
between the walls. On the first floor is an excellent
maritime museum, and from the upper floors you'll
have a breathtaking view of the entire peninsula,
the gulf, and the Alps on the far horizon.
ST TROPEZ BEACHES
Along the Route des Plages (beaches) you'll find
most of the best beaches. The best way to get
there is by bicycle (you'll find rentals in many
places), not car or foot; it's a long walk, especially if
you visit more than one beach.
St. Tropez Festivals
The bravade is a popular festival every May 16
celebrating St. Torpes, for whom St. Tropez is
rather dyslexically named. Torpes was martyred at
Pisa in 68 AD, and his decapitated body washed
onshore here, where it was decently buried
hundreds of miles from his venerated head in Pisa.
During the bravade, the bust of the saint is paraded
through the streets of St. Tropez by men in
old-fashoned military garb. It's been described as a
war movie blended with Laurel and Hardy, but don't
tell the marchers that; the locals take it deadly
seriously. On June 15, another bravade is held, this
one celebrating the victory of the local count over a
large Spanish invading fleet in 1637. Don't expect
to get much sleep during these festivals; one of the
most outstanding qualities of them is the habit of
bravadeurs for firing their blunderbusses into the
air quite late into the night.
St. Tropez Shopping
The Rue Sibilli is filled with trendy boutiques and
unique items. If you're more interested in the
gastronomic delights of France, try the place de
Lices, where you can find produce and regional
foods as well as clothes and collectibles.
St. Tropez Nightlife
Les Caves du Roy in the Byblos Hotel is the most
exclusive nightspot in St. Tropez, but you can find
everything from Le Papagayo, a young adult and
older teen spot, to the summer classical music
concerts in the gardens of Chateau de la Moutte.
St. Tropez is very quiet during its cold winters, but
in the summer, you will rarely see things winding
down until dawn.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com.
Please visit http://www.eurotomic.com/france.php if
you're planning a trip to France.
ST TROPEZ HOTELS
HOTELS IN ST TROPEZ FRANCE
ST TROPEZ FRANCE HOTEL
HOTELS IN ST TROPEZ FRANCE
ST TROPEZ FRANCE HOTEL
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