The best way to describe the most popular playground during the summer in France would be to use the word luxurious!
The warm rays from the sun will begin to shine down in June and start heating up the beaches along the Mediterranean and the bougainvillea-draped lanes and you will start to see the harbor fill up with huge yachts, the richer than rich people fly down in their helicopters towards beach clubs with loud music playing, Bentleys and Maseratis wander along the carved streets, and nightclubs that are packed with celebrities where Asian industrialists and royal people form the Middle East will throw down thousands of dollars just for champagne.
Within these recent years more gratifications have been ready – the seven-figure set hasn’t been saved for them all – all in thanks to the new and upcoming places to party, restaurants, and beautiful hotels.
Luckily there’s always a place to “play” in Saint Tropez no matter the amount you can afford.
Friday at 5:30 p.m.
1) THE 101 ON ST.-TROPEZ
Wondering where a celebrity such as Paris Hilton would stay in this lovely town or how much is going to come out of your pocket if you decide to rent a yacht with multi-decks for a whole week or even the amount of dogs and cats that were crammed into a house along the coast owned by Brigitte Bardot?
The best way to get all your answers to these questions would be to go on an hour cruise on Brigantin II (Vieux Port, directly in front of Cafe de Paris; 33-6-07-09-21-27; cost of 9 euros which to each euro is around $12.50 at $1.40) to see how one lives their life in St.-Tropez and also partake in looking at the great views of the beautiful mansions along the coast.
Captain Stephane’s stories (in both French and English) will be sure to amuse you during this cruise.
At 8 p.m.
2) MAKE TIME FOR AN INDIAN INTERLUDE
A St.-Tropez ritual is known as the sunset aperitif, or apero for short. Most tourists are highly attracted to the Senequier cafe and race there like how bull would charge at a matador’s cape. Rather then doing the same as others, why not go to the Pan Dei Palais hotel (33-4-94-17-71-71; 52, rue Gambetta) and view the Hindu god statues that seem right from Rajasthan and screens that are carved out of wood.
You could check out the colonial-chic pool that has four-poster beds and cot lounges all around it while munching on Emmenthal nuggets or curried nuts and sipping on a drink that contains amaretto, strawberry juice, lemon, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, fig syrup (better known as a Red One) for the cost of 21 euros.
Sounds like a good time!
At 9 p.m.
3) DINNER COMPLETE WITH STUDS OF STARS
Take a look around and you’ll see that at Colette (Hotel Sezz, Route des Salins; 33-4-94-44-53-11) there are stars at every glance. Whether you find them shining down on the minimalist patio from up above or on the charming neo-Mediterranean menu, they’re all around you. Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire was the one to come about this thoughtful menu, though Chef Jerome Roy will be the one to actually cook your meal.
At popular Hotel Sezz you may see a star that’s on the screens or boardroom wandering around since it’s one of the top new poshest places to crash in town. With diced cubes of gelatin made from Mideast spices and red pepper, Mr. Roy and Mr. Gagnaire will supervise the sea bream brought to finesse through a carpaccio-thin preparation.
Caramelized sugar will spike your coda which will be made from a deluxe black-currant mousse under a pear sorbet. When ordering a meal that is three-courses for two people, not including any drinks, you will be looking at paying right around 170 euros.
At Midnight !
4) PICK BETWEEN THE WHARF OR THE CAVES
Les Caves du Roy are also shining star filled (33-4-94-56-68-00; Hotel Byblos, Avenue Paul Signac) with princes, corporate titans, and celebs just like a casino in Las Vegas in the 70s.
This den is complete with electric palm trees and pile carpet, and to compare this popular site to a casino would be the fact that you could lost all your money in a short period of time just from the tasteful yet expensive champagne.
If you’re not wanting to break your bank you could visit Le Quai (22, quai Jean Jaures; 33-4-94-97-04-07) that has black banquettes, black carpet, black glass tables and a crowd all done-up dancing to the legends of R&B, soul and funk while sipping their mojitos (costing 8 euros).
Saturday at 10 a.m.
5) GREAT SHOPPING ALL IN ONE PLACE
Central Place des Lices is somewhere encouraged to visit if you should have anywhere from camouflage bikinis and Iranian carpets to sausage made from horse meat.
You’ll come to find that many different people shop here ranging from hunched over elderly women looking to pick up blocks of soap, linen clothing and paella (per kilo is 14 euros) to high dollar folks driving Ferraris.
If you’re someone that loves olives, a great place to shop at would be Le Kemia (33-6-63-46-79-61) which offers to people olive tapenade jars for 3 eruos and regional olive oil for 12 euros. For people with a sugar craving, you would probably prefer to go to Chez Cathy (33-6-14-30-39-19) and get a biscuit that’s flavored with lemon, anis and orange-flower water (2.90 euros per kilo).
At Noon****
6)PRICINGS ON LITTLE MEALS
When visiting Le Dit Vin (33-4-94-79-85-09; 43, rue du Portail Nuef) you will quick to find the Buddha-like statues that decorate the whole area, yet it wouldn’t be the greatest restaurant for people that choose to be alone in the peace and quiet.
This area is welcoming and affordable which makes it an epic place full of restaurants that are looking for attention with their vicious prices and tourist traps.
In this decent pricing area you will get a rustic feeling in the whitewashed terrace and dining room in which you can relax and eat your local fair share of delicacies plates and sip the house rose.
Among the top rated dishes would be the marinated anchovy filets that are thing and come along with zesty tomato bread. If you’re looking for lunch for two people that doesn’t include any wine, you’ll be spending around 45 euros.
At 2 p.m.
7) A LOVELY AFTERNOON SPENT a LA PLAGE
When deciding to choose which beach club to visit, you will run into the issues of your choice being realistic yet logical.
You will run into a variety of clubs to choose from, such as club Aqua attracts gay people; Club 55 is more for the elite self-styled type of crowd; luckily at Nikki Beach (33-4-94-79-82-04, Plage de Pampelonne, Route de l’Epi; sun beds cost 35 euros) bikini tops are only an option along with people being shy, careful and sober.
These three come in with less availability as time goes on through the day with the house music going on to be louder and louder and all the passing around of Champagne bottles.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed club that’s stylish, you should check out the young New Coco Beach (33-4-94-79-83-25; Plage de Pamelonne, Route de l’Epi) that’s just about right next door. The music isn’t deafening and you can purchase a purple chaises for 23 euros in the restaurant or bar that attracts crowds that are more conservative.
At 5 p.m.
8) THE FUN MIXTURE OF ROBOTS, SHIRTS AND HATS
If you were to chuck a diamond in Saint Tropez, you’d be more than likely to hit luxurious international boutique. Luckily, the growth of independent shops is becoming more common.
You should be sure to visit La Chemise Tropezienne (23, rue Gambettta; 33-4-94-79-59-75) to check out the selling of nice shirts made by local people (costing between 120 to 180 euros) that will go great with pana hats found at Truffaux (5, rue des Commercants; 33-4-94-56-51-38).
For shoppers that are out looking for nice furnishing items to fill their party house, look no further then at Luxury Stuff & Toys (1, place de la Croix de Fer; 33-4-94-97-51-55). In this fun store you will find things from a two-foot-high Daft Punk robot costing a whole 3,950 euros for a pair to foosball tables that are crystal clear ranging in at 11,900 euros.
At 8 p.m.
9) SPENDING THE EVENING THE ITALIAN WAY
Ever walk into an area and hear workers rolling the r’s in their words like: “T-r-r-r-r-r-e-s bien, monsieur-r-r-r!” and the aroma of delicious breadsticks? That’s how you should know you’re in the territory of Italians! In a tiny passageway a year ago, Cristina Saulini (13, rue des Feniers; 33-4-94-97-46-10) was built and has now made it to the top in becoming one of the best places to eat.
Great items are on their menu, such as the plumped up tortelli that are drenched in Bolognese sauce with overloading molten cheese and super thin slices of eggplant topped off with zippy tomato sauce and delicious heated Parmesan. If you’re feeling up to it, homemade cannoli will be the dish to finish you off.
Looking for a meal for two without wine, it’ll cost you right near 100 euros.
At 10 p.m.
10)BOOZE IN A GROUP OF FOUR
Kube Hotel (Route de St.-Tropez, Gassin; 33-4-94-97-20-00) is a thriving party place that’s only two-years-old and equipped with four different bars. Ever wanted to visit and ice bar? Well beneath the hotel is Ice Kube which is a room all lined with ice at subzero temperature and just for 25 minutes in a parka with four vodka cocktails you’ll be spending 38 euros.
Going from underground to the rooftop you’ll find Skybar that takes pride in Champagne and the lovely views of the gulf. Placed right between is Terrasse Martini that’s along the pool and contains white couches to help clients show off their tans and the fourth bar only being a few feet away is a sci-fi lobby lounge.
It’d be nice to visit all four bars, that is if by the third or fourth one you aren’t stumbling your way to get there.
Sunday at 10 a.m.****
11)YORE, THE NICE VILLAGE
Having your mind overloaded with many tourists and all the dreamy Porches, it’s easy to overlook the charm of the fishing village. Though it’s a climb to get there, you should visit the 17th-century citadel (33-4-94-97-59-43) and take a moment to check out what’s below you such as the bay with it’s green hills, the breath taking blue Mediterranean, Church Notre-Dame de l’Assomption’s stunning yellow dome, and the village’s orange roofs.
After you’ve taken all that in, you should wander onto Musee de Annonciade (33-4-94-17-84-10; Place Grammont) which is a church from the 16th-century remodleded into a exhibition museum all in favor of the painters (from Andre Derain to Matisse) that found their love for painting to be brought out right along the Cote d’Azur.
At Noon
12) A SAND PICNIC
La Cabane Bambou (Plage de Pampelonne, Route de Bonne Terrasse; 33-4-94-79-84-13) is a beach club that’s very calm and relaxing and you will be able to find a variety of people, such as lawyers driving BMWs, cool parents accompanied by their children, media type people, and many others.
This is a great place to have lunch on a Sunday due to great menus offering Gallic sweets including crackly creme brulee plus delicious seafood. If you decide to rent a mattress made especially for the beach (17 euros) you can lie down and enjoy the sun or go on into a massage cabin and finally get a nice relaxation from the busy weekend costing 45 euros for thirty minutes.
IF YOU’VE DECIDED TO PLAN A TRIP
Hotel Ermitage (Avenue Paul Signac, 33-4-94-97-52-33) contains an outstanding terrace restaurant and retro furniture at the peak of perfection. Though the hotel only has 27 rooms, it has become easily the hippest new hotel around town. Depending on the season you decide to visit, the price could be from 120 euros at the lowest to 260 euros at the highest for doubles.
B. Lodge (23, rue de l’Aioli; 33-4-94-97-06-57) is a totally turned around hotel that contains 15 rooms.
Back in 2007 they decided to flip their country decor into a white and gray tone for a more modern day look. Though it will cost you between 80 euros on the down season to 140 euros on the high season, a great restaurant and bar will make your stay all the more worth it.
Hotels in Saint Tropez by Map.
Limousine and Airport Transfer.
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