, INSEE = 83119
, postal code = 83990
, image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg
, image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg
Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a
commune in the
Var department and the
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pre ...
,
Southern France. It is west of
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative ...
and east of
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
, on the
French Riviera, of which it is one of the best-known towns. In 2018, Saint-Tropez had a population of 4,103. The adjacent narrow body of water is the Gulf of Saint-Tropez (French: ''Golfe de Saint-Tropez''), stretching to
Sainte-Maxime to the north under the
Massif des Maures
The Massif des Maures (, "plateau of the Moors") is a small mountain range in southeastern France. It is located in the department of Var, near Fraxinet and between Hyères and Fréjus. Its highest point, at ''Signal de la Sauvette'', is high.
...
.
Saint-Tropez was a military stronghold and fishing village until the beginning of the 20th century. It was the first town on its coast to be liberated during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
as part of
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the landing operation of the Allied invasion of Provence ( Southern France) on 15August 1944. Despite initially designed to be executed in conjunction with Operation Overlord ...
. After the war, it became an internationally known seaside resort, renowned principally because of the influx of artists of the
French New Wave in cinema and the
Yé-yé movement in music. It later became a resort for the European and American
jet set and tourists.
History
In 599 B.C., the
Phocaeans from
Ionia
Ionia () was an ancient region on the western coast of Anatolia, to the south of present-day Izmir. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionia ...
founded Massilia (present-day
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
) and established other coastal mooring sites in the area. The ancient name of Athenopolis has been identified as Saint-Tropez, and
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...
writes that it belonged to the Massilians. In 31 B.C., the Romans invaded the region. Their citizens built many opulent villas in the area, including one known as the "Villa des Platanes" (Villa of the
Plane Trees). The closest settlement to Saint-Tropez in antiquity is attested as Heraclea-Caccabaria, today
Cavalaire-sur-Mer, situated on the southern end of the peninsula, while the gulf of Saint-Tropez was called , which likely survives in the settlement name of
Les Issambres.
The town owes its current name to the early
martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
Saint Torpes. Legend tells of his
decapitation at
Pisa during
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...
's reign, with his body placed in a rotten boat along with a
rooster and a
dog. The body landed at the present-day location of the town of Saint-Tropez.
Toward the end of the ninth century, long after the fall of the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
in the West, pirates and privateers began a hundred years of attacks and sackings. In the tenth century, the village of
La Garde-Freinet was founded to the north of Saint-Tropez. From 890 to 972, Saint-Tropez and its surroundings became an Arab Muslim colony dominated by the nearby
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia ...
ic settlement of
Fraxinet
Fraxinetum or Fraxinet ( ar, فرخشنيط, translit=Farakhshanīt or , from Latin ''fraxinus'': " ash tree", ''fraxinetum'': "ash forest") was the site of a Muslim fortress in Provence between about 887 and 972. It is identified with moder ...
;
in 940, Saint-Tropez was controlled by Nasr ibn Ahmad.
From 961 to 963,
Adalbert, son of
Berengar, the pretender to the throne of Lombardy who was pursued by
Otto I
Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of He ...
, hid at Saint-Tropez.
In 972, the Muslims of Saint-Tropez held
Maïeul, the abbot of Cluny, for ransom.
In 976,
William I,
Count of Provence, Lord of
Grimaud, began attacking the Muslims, and in 980 he built a tower where the Suffren tower now stands. In 1079 and 1218,
Papal bulls mentioned the existence of a manor at Saint-Tropez.
From 1436, Count
René I (the "good King René") tried to repopulate Provence. He created the Barony of Grimaud and appealed to the
Genoan Raphael de Garezzio, a wealthy gentleman who had sent a fleet of
caravel
The caravel (Portuguese: , ) is a small maneuverable sailing ship used in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing w ...
s carrying 60 Genoese families to the area. In return, Count René promised to exempt the citizens from taxation. On 14 February 1470, Jean de Cossa, Baron of Grimaud and Grand Seneschal of Provence, agreed that the Genoan could build city walls and two large towers, which still stand: one tower is at the end of the Grand Môle and the other is at the entrance to the Ponche.
The city became a small
republic
A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...
with its own fleet and army and was administered by two consuls and 12 elected councillors. In 1558, the city's captain Honorat Coste was empowered to protect the city. The captain led a militia and mercenaries who successfully resisted attacks by the Turks and Spanish, succored
Fréjus
Fréjus (; ) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 54,458.
It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one urban agglomeration. The north ...
and
Antibes
Antibes (, also , ; oc, label= Provençal, Antíbol) is a coastal city in the Alpes-Maritimes department of southeastern France, on the Côte d'Azur between Cannes and Nice.
The town of Juan-les-Pins is in the commune of Antibes and the Sop ...
and helped the Archbishop of
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectu ...
regain control of the
Lérins Islands.
In 1577, the daughter of the Marquis Lord of Castellane, Genevieve de Castilla, married Jean-Baptiste de Suffren, Marquis de Saint-Cannet, Baron de
La Môle, and advisor to the parliament of Provence. The lordship of Saint-Tropez became the prerogative of the De Suffren family. One of the most notable members of this family was the later vice-admiral
Pierre André de Suffren de Saint-Tropez (1729–1788), veteran of the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George ...
, the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
and the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
.
In September 1615, Saint-Tropez was visited by a delegation led by the Japanese
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They ...
Hasekura Tsunenaga that was on its way to Rome but was forced by weather to stop in the town. This may have been the first
contact between the French and the Japanese.
The local noblemen were responsible for raising an army that repulsed a fleet of Spanish galleons on 15 June 1637; ''Les Bravades des Espagnols'', a local religious and military celebration, commemorates this victory of the Tropezian
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. Count René's promise in 1436 to not tax the citizens of Saint-Tropez was honored until 1672, when
Louis XIV
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
abrogated it as he imposed French control.
The Gulf of Saint-Tropez was known as the Gulf of
Grimaud until the end of the 19th century.
During the 1920s, Saint-Tropez attracted famous figures from the fashion world such as
Coco Chanel and
Elsa Schiaparelli. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the landing on 15 August 1944 began the Allied invasion of southern France,
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the landing operation of the Allied invasion of Provence ( Southern France) on 15August 1944. Despite initially designed to be executed in conjunction with Operation Overlord ...
. In the 1950s, Saint-Tropez became internationally renowned as the setting for such films as ''
And God Created Woman'', which starred French actress
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
.
In May 1965, an
Aérospatiale Super Frelon
Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ( ...
pre-production aircraft crashed in the gulf, killing its pilot.
On 4 March 1970, the French submarine ''
Eurydice
Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice') was a character in Greek mythology and the Auloniad wife of Orpheus, who tried to bring her back from the dead with his enchanting music.
Etymology
Several meanings for the na ...
'', with its home port as Saint-Tropez, disappeared in the Mediterranean with 57 crew aboard after a mysterious explosion.
The English rock band
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
wrote a song "
San Tropez" after the town. Saint-Tropez was also mentioned in
David Gates's 1978 hit "Took the Last Train",
Kraftwerk's "
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
" and in
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues ...
's "Permanent Vacation". Rappers including
Diddy,
Jay-Z and
50 Cent refer to the city in some of their songs as a favorite vacation destination, usually reached by
yacht
A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
.
DJ Antoine wrote a song "
Welcome to St. Tropez".
The motto of Saint-Tropez is ',
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
for "faithful to the end". After the Dark Age of plundering the French Riviera, Raphaël de Garesio landed in Saint-Tropez on 14 February 1470, with 22 men, simple peasants or sailors who had left the overcrowded Italian Riviera. They rebuilt and repopulated the area, and in exchange were granted by a representative of the "good king," Jean de Cossa, Baron of Grimaud and Seneschal of Provence, various privileges, including some previously reserved exclusively for lords, such as exemptions from taxes status and the right to bear arms. About ten years later, a great wall with towers stood watch to protect the new houses from sea and land attack; some 60 families formed the new community. On 19 July 1479, the new Home Act was signed, "the rebirth charter of Saint-Tropez."
Climate
Saint-Tropez has a hot-summer
mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
with mild winters and hot summers, although daytime temperatures are somewhat moderated by its coastal position.
Economy
The main economic resource of Saint-Tropez is
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
. The city is well known for the Hôtel Byblos and for Les Caves du Roy, a member of the
Leading Hotels of the World
In typography, leading ( ) is the space between adjacent lines of type; the exact definition varies.
In hand typesetting, leading is the thin strips of lead (or aluminium) that were inserted between lines of type in the composing stick to incre ...
; its 1967 inauguration featuring
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
and
Gunter Sachs was an international event.
Beaches
Tropezian beaches are located along the coast in the Baie de Pampelonne, which lies south of Saint-Tropez and east of
Ramatuelle. Pampelonne offers a collection of beaches along its five-kilometre shore. Each beach is around 30 metres wide with its own beach hut and private or public tanning area.
Many of the beaches offer windsurfing, sailing and canoeing equipment for rent, while others offer motorized water sports, such as power boats, jet bikes, water skiing and scuba diving. Some of the beaches are
naturist beaches. There are also many exclusive beach clubs that are popular among wealthy people from around the world.
Toplessness and nudity
Saint-Tropez's Tahiti Beach, which had been popularised in the film ''
And God Created Woman'' featuring
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
, emerged as a clothing-optional destination,
but the mayor of Saint-Tropez ordered police to ban toplessness and to watch over the beach via helicopter.
The "clothing fights" between the gendarmerie and nudists become the main topic of a famous French comedy film series, ''Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez'' (''
The Troops of St. Tropez
''The Troops of St. Tropez'' (french: Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez; literally ''The Policeman from Saint-Tropez'') is a 1964 French comedy film set in Saint-Tropez, a fashionable resort on the French Riviera. Starring Louis de Funès as Ludovic Cru ...
'') featuring
Louis de Funès.
In the end, the nudist side prevailed. Topless sunbathing is now the norm for both men and women from
Pampelonne beaches to
yacht
A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
s in the centre of Saint-Tropez port. The Tahiti beach is now clothing-optional, but nudists often head to private nudist beaches, such as that in
Cap d'Agde.
Port
The port was widely used during the 18th century; in 1789 it was visited by 80 ships. Saint-Tropez's
shipyards built
tartanes and three-masted ships that could carry 1,000 to 12,200 barrels. The town was the site of various associated trades, including fishing, cork, wine and wood. The town had a school of
hydrography
Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the prima ...
. In 1860, the flagship of the
merchant navy, named ''The Queen of the Angels'' (''La Reine des Anges'', a three-masted ship of 740 barrels capacity), was built at Saint-Tropez.
Its role as a commercial port declined, and it is now primarily a tourist spot and a base for many well-known sail regattas. There is fast boat transportation with
Les Bateaux Verts
Les Bateaux Verts is a ferry company operating a service between Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime, Port Grimaud and Les Issambres
Les Issambres () is a French village situated on the coastline of the Bay of Saint Tropez, between the Mediterran ...
to
Sainte-Maxime on the other side of the bay and to
Port Grimaud Port Grimaud is a seaside town that forms part of the commune of Grimaud in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is located seven km () (four mi ()) west of Saint-Tropez and seven km () southwest ...
, Marines de Cogolin,
Les Issambres and St-Aygulf.
Events
Les Bravades de Saint-Tropez
''Les Bravades de Saint-Tropez'' is an annual celebration held in the middle of May when people of the town celebrate their patron saint,
Torpes of Pisa, and their military achievements. One of the oldest traditions of
Provence
Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bo ...
, it has been held for more than 450 years since the citizens of Saint-Tropez were first given special permission to form a militia to protect the town from the
Barbary pirates. During the three-day celebration, the various militias in costumes of the time fire their muskets into the air at traditional stops, march to the sound of bands and parade St. Torpes's bust. The townspeople also attend a mass wearing
traditional Provençal costume.
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez
Each year, at the end of September, a regatta is held in the bay of Saint-Tropez (). Many yachts are entered, some as long as 50 metres. Many tourists come to the location for this event, or as a stop on their trip to
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
,
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
or
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative ...
.
Traditional dishes
The
Tarte tropézienne
Tarte tropézienne, also known as "La Tarte de Saint-Tropez", is a dessert pastry consisting of a halved brioche filled with lemon and vanilla pastry cream and topped with pearl sugar. is a traditional cake invented by a
Polish confectioner who had set up shop in Saint-Tropez in the mid-1950s, and made famous by actress
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
.
Demographics
Infrastructure
Transport to and from Saint-Tropez
By sea
The 800-berth port with two marinas hosts boats, including ferries. In the summer season, there is a ferry service between St-Tropez and
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative ...
,
Sainte-Maxime,
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
,
Saint-Raphaël. Private yachts may also be chartered.
By air
There is no airport in Saint-Tropez, but there is a charter service to and from clubs, the town and
Tropezian beaches by helicopter.
The nearest airport is
La Môle – Saint-Tropez Airport (
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tarif ...
: LTT,
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
: LFTZ) located in
La Môle, (8 NM) southwest of Saint-Tropez.
Other main airports are:
*
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur) is an international airport located southwest of Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes ''départment'' of France. It is the third busiest airport in France and serves as a fo ...
(IATA: NCE, ICAO: LFMN) (~95 km)
*
Toulon-Hyères Airport (IATA:TLN, ICAO:LFTH) (~52 km)
*
Marseille Provence Airport (french: Aéroport de Marseille Provence) (IATA: MRS, ICAO: LFML) (~158 km)
By land
There is no rail station in Saint-Tropez. The nearest station is
Saint-Raphaël-Valescure, located in
Saint-Raphaël ( from Saint-Tropez), which also offers a boat service to Saint-Tropez. There is also direct bus service to Saint-Tropez, and the rail station is connected with bus station.
There is a bus station in Saint-Tropez called the ', located in Place Blanqui. It is operated by
Var department
Var (, ) is a department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. It takes its name from the river Var, which flowed along its eastern boundary, until the boundary was moved in 1860 and the department is no longer assoc ...
transport division , which employs other transport companies to operate routes.
There are taxi services, including from Nice airport to Saint-Tropez, but they are expensive because of the long distances and the area's wealth.
In the tourist season, traffic problems may be expected on roads to Saint-Tropez, so the fastest way to travel is by scooter or bike. There is no direct highway to the village. There are three main roads to Saint-Tropez:
* Via the
A8 (
E80) with the sign "Draguignan, Le Muy-Golfe de Saint-Tropez" – RD 25 Sainte-Maxime, -> on the former
RN 98 – .
*
A57 with the sign "The Cannet des Maures" -> DR 558, Grimaud until then by the RD 61 – through the famous intersection of La Foux.
* Near the sea, the former
RN 98 connects to Toulon-La Valette-du-Var, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, Nice, Monaco, DR 93, called "Beach Road", with destinations to Pampelonne, Ramatuelle and La Croix – Valmer.
Some services show the actual traffic on the main roads near Saint-Tropez, for example in English
Via
Town transport
Public transport in Saint-Tropez includes
minibus
A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, ...
es, providing shuttle service between town and Pampelonne beaches.
Other means of transport include scooters, cars, bicycles and taxis. There are also helicopter services and boat trips.
Because of traffic and short distances, walking is an obvious choice for trips around town and to the Tropezian beaches.
Culture, education and sport
The town has health facilities, a cinema, a library, an outdoor center and a recreation center for youth.
Schools include: École maternelle (
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
–
preschool
A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary sch ...
) – l'Escouleto, écoles primaires (
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
s –
primary education):
Louis Blanc and Les Lauriers, collège d'enseignement secondaire (
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
, high school –
secondary education
Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final ph ...
) – Moulin Blanc.
There are more than 1,000 students distributed among kindergartens, primary schools and one high school. In 2011, there were 275 students in high school and 51 people employed there, of whom 23 were teachers.
Art
Saint-Tropez plays a major role in the history of modern art.
Paul Signac discovered this light-filled place that inspired painters such as
Matisse
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primar ...
,
Pierre Bonnard and
Albert Marquet
Albert Marquet (27 March 1875 – 14 June 1947) was a French painter, associated with the Fauvist movement. He initially became one of the Fauve painters and a lifelong friend of Henri Matisse. Marquet subsequently painted in a more naturali ...
to come to Saint-Tropez. The painting styles of
pointillism and
fauvism emerged in Saint-Tropez. Saint-Tropez was also attractive for the next generation of painters:
Bernard Buffet
Bernard Buffet (; 10 July 1928 – 4 October 1999) was a French painter, printmaker, and sculptor.
He produced a varied and extensive body of work. His style was exclusively figurative. The artist enjoyed worldwide popularity early in his caree ...
,
David Hockney
David Hockney (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer. As an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists o ...
,
Massimo Campigli
Massimo Campigli (; born Max Ihlenfeld, 4 July 189531 May 1971) was an Italian painter and journalist.
Biography
He was born in Berlin, but spent most of his childhood in Florence. His family moved to Milan in 1909, and here he worked on the ' ...
and
Donald Sultan lived and worked there. Today,
Stefan Szczesny continues this tradition.
The contemporary artist
Philippe Shangti
Philippe Shangti is a multidisciplinary French contemporary artist. Born in 1983 in Toulouse, he studied in this city then he moved to Saint-Tropez at the beginnings of the 2000s. He became known by exhibiting his art on the walls of trendy res ...
imagined the design of Le Quai and L'Opera, restaurants located on the port of Saint-Tropez where he also exhibits his art collections. Centered on a specific theme, he always denounces different problems affecting society with provocative artworks.
International relations
Saint-Tropez is
twinned with:
*
Vittoriosa, Malta
Famous persons connected with Saint-Tropez
File:Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez2 (Var).svg, Saint Torpes of Pisa
File:Hasekura in Rome.JPG, Portrait of Hasekura Tsunenaga
File:Saint-Tropez Suffren (1)-white.jpg, Statue of Admiral de Suffren de Saint-Tropez
File:Brigitte Bardot - Sami Frey - Saint-Tropez - 1963.jpg, Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
at Saint-Tropez, 1963
File:Louis de Funès — Tournage Le Gendarme et les Extra-terrestres — Saint-Tropez, 1978.jpg, Louis de Funès during filming
The most famous persons connected with Saint-Tropez include the semi-legendary martyr who gave his name to the town,
Saint Torpes of Pisa;
Hasekura Tsunenaga, probably the first Japanese in Europe, who landed in Saint-Tropez in 1615; a hero of the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, Admiral
Pierre André de Suffren de Saint-Tropez;
the icon of modern Saint-Tropez,
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
, who started the clothes-optional revolution and still lives in the Saint-Tropez area;
Louis de Funès, who played the character of the
gendarme
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to "Man-at-arms, men-at-arms" ...
(police officer) in the French comedy film series ''
Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez
''The Troops of St. Tropez'' (french: Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez; literally ''The Policeman from Saint-Tropez'') is a 1964 French comedy film set in Saint-Tropez, a fashionable resort on the French Riviera. Starring Louis de Funès as Ludovic Cr ...
'' and also helped establish the international image of Saint-Tropez as both a quiet town and a modern jet-set holiday target.
Gallery
File:Saint-Tropez Citadel cannons.jpg, Cannons of the Citadel
File:Saint_Tropez_Tour_Jarlier.jpg, Tour Jarlier
File:Luxury yachts in Saint-Tropez, 2006.jpg, Luxury boats
File:Sailboats at the Saint-Tropez marina.JPG, Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
s
File:Wcze_port_ST.jpg, Harbour promenade with cafes
File:St. Tropez - alte Gendarmeriestation.jpg, Old gendarmerie station; popular spot for photographs (cf. ''Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez
''The Troops of St. Tropez'' (french: Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez; literally ''The Policeman from Saint-Tropez'') is a 1964 French comedy film set in Saint-Tropez, a fashionable resort on the French Riviera. Starring Louis de Funès as Ludovic Cr ...
'')
File:Tarte Tropezienne.jpg, ''Tarte tropézienne
Tarte tropézienne, also known as "La Tarte de Saint-Tropez", is a dessert pastry consisting of a halved brioche filled with lemon and vanilla pastry cream and topped with pearl sugar. '' (Tropezian pie)
File:Main gate to Citadel.jpg, The main gate to Citadel
List of media connected with Saint-Tropez
Non-exhaustive filmography
* ' (short film, 1952)
* ''
Et Dieu… créa la femme'' (
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...
)
* ''
Bonjour Tristesse'' (
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
)
* ' (
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
)
* ' (
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
)
* ''
Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez
''The Troops of St. Tropez'' (french: Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez; literally ''The Policeman from Saint-Tropez'') is a 1964 French comedy film set in Saint-Tropez, a fashionable resort on the French Riviera. Starring Louis de Funès as Ludovic Cr ...
'' (
1964) and its sequels ''
Le Gendarme à New York'' (
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term ...
), ''
Le gendarme se marie
''The Gendarme Gets Married'' (french: Le gendarme se marie) is the third installment of the ''Gendarmes'' series, starring again Louis de Funès and one more time Geneviève Grad as his daughter. This comedy film succeeds '' Gendarme in New York ...
'' (
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* J ...
), ''
Le Gendarme en balade'' (
1970), ''
Le Gendarme et les Extra-terrestres
''The Gendarme and the Extra-Terrestrials'' (french: Le Gendarme et Les Extra-Terrestres) is a continuation of the Gendarme series starring Louis de Funès. It is also known as ''The Gendarme and the Creatures from Outer Space'' and is followed by ...
'' (
1979) and finally ''
Le Gendarme et les Gendarmettes
''The Gendarme and the Gendarmettes'' (french: Le gendarme et les gendarmettes) is a 1982 French comedy film, and the sixth and last movie of the ''Gendarme'' series . It is the final film of the director Jean Girault and the lead actor Louis de F ...
'' (
1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C ...
)
* ''
La Collectionneuse
''La Collectionneuse'' (''The Collector'') is a 1967 French comedy-drama film directed by Éric Rohmer. The third entry in his ''Six Moral Tales'' series, it is his first film in colour.
Set on the south coast of France in August, it portrays the ...
'' (
1967)
* ''
La Chamade
''La Chamade'' is a 1965 novel by French playwright and novelist Françoise Sagan.
It was adapted into a 1968 movie starring Catherine Deneuve and Michel Piccoli
Jacques Daniel Michel Piccoli (27 December 1925 – 12 May 2020) was a French ac ...
'' (
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* J ...
)
* ''
Les Biches'' (
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* J ...
)
* ''
La Piscine'' (
1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
)
* ''
Le Viager
''Le Viager'' is a French comedy film directed by Pierre Tchernia. It was released in 1972, adapted from a script by René Goscinny, the creator of the Asterix comics.
Plot
In 1930 in Paris, Dr Léon Galipeau examines 59-year-old Louis Martinet ...
'' (
1972)
* ''
La Cage aux Folles'' (
1978)
* ''
Le Coup du parapluie'' (
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – In ...
)
* ' (
1981)
* ''
Les Sous-doués en vacances'' (
1981)
* Trilogy by
Max Pécas
Max Pécas (25 April 1925 in Lyon – 10 February 2003 in Paris) was a French filmmaker, writer and producer.
Pécas was assistant director to Jacques Daroy and others from 1948 to 1957. After making sex in film, erotic movies and thrillers throug ...
: ''
Les Branchés à Saint-Tropez ''Les Branchés à Saint-Tropez '' («'' The Fashioned in Saint- Tropez'' ») (1983) is a French B movie by Max Pécas.
It was a very big success when it came out in the theaters.
It is the first part of Max Pécas's "Saint-Tropez" trilogy, the t ...
'' (
1983), ''
Deux enfoirés à Saint-Tropez'' (
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal en ...
) and ''
On se calme et on boit frais à Saint-Tropez
''On se calme et on boit frais à Saint-Tropez'' ("''Let's calm down and drink fresh in Saint-Tropez''") (1987) is the last movie made by French film-maker Max Pécas. It is also the last one of his "Saint-Tropez" trilogy
A trilogy is a set o ...
'' (
1987)
* ''
A Summer in St. Tropez'' (
1984)
* ' (
1985)
* ' (
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
)
Television series
* ''
Sous le soleil'', broadcast in over 100 countries by the name "Saint-Tropez"
Literature
* ''Saint-Tropez, avec des lithographies originales by
Bernard Buffet
Bernard Buffet (; 10 July 1928 – 4 October 1999) was a French painter, printmaker, and sculptor.
He produced a varied and extensive body of work. His style was exclusively figurative. The artist enjoyed worldwide popularity early in his caree ...
'' (1979)
* ''Saint-Tropez d'hier et d'aujourd'hui, avec des photographies by Luc Fournol'' (1981) by
* ''Les Lionnes by Saint-Tropez'' by 1989
* ''La folle histoire et véridique histoire de Saint-Tropez'' by , 1998
* ''
Sunset in St. Tropez'' by
Danielle Steel
Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling author alive and the fourth-bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million ...
, 2004
* ''Rester normal à Saint-Tropez'', strip cartoon by
Frédéric Beigbeder
Frédéric Beigbeder (; born 21 September 1965) is a French writer, literary critic and television presenter. He won the Prix Interallié in 2003 for his novel '' Windows on the World'' and the Prix Renaudot in 2009 for his book ''Un roman frança ...
, 2004
* ''La Légende de Saint-Tropez'' by , preface by
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
, éditions Assouline, 2003
Painting
* ''Port of Saint-Tropez'',
Paul Signac (1899)
* ''
Port of Saint-Tropez'',
Henri Lebasque (before 1936)
* ''A panoramic view of Saint-Tropez'' by Paul Leduc (1876-1943)
Music
* "Twist à Saint-Tropez" by
Les Chats Sauvages
Les Chats Sauvages (The Wild Cats) was a French rock and roll band, that was formed in 1961. Together with Les Chaussettes Noires, they were among the first outfits to perform rock and roll music in France.
Career
Les Chats Sauvages was original ...
October 1961
* "St. Tropez" by
Harry Warren and George Sperry (1962)
* "
J'aime les filles
"J'aime les filles (si vous êtes comme ça téléphonez moi)" is a 1967 single by French singer-songwriter Jacques Dutronc.
It reached number 1 in the French singles chart for two weeks from 6 May 1967.
Court case
In 1977, Dutronc and co-writer ...
" (1967) by
Jacques Dutronc
* ''
Looking for Saint Tropez'', 1979 album by group
Telex
* "Paris – Saint-Tropez" by
Marie Laforêt from the 1960 film ''Saint-Tropez Blues''
* "
San Tropez" by
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
from the album ''
Meddle''
* "Permanent Vacation" by
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues ...
from the album ''
Permanent Vacation''
* "Il ne rentre pas ce soir" by
Eddy Mitchell on the 1978 album '
* "St. Tropez" by
The Rippingtons on the 1992 album ''
Weekend in Monaco''
* "Saint Tropez" by
Ricky Martin on the 2000 album ''
Sound Loaded
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by ...
''
* "
Welcome to St. Tropez" by
DJ Antoine and
Timati featuring Kallena Harper
* "Сен Тропе" (Saint Tropez, 2011) by
Azis
* "St. Tropez (Party Girl)" by
Lana Del Rey
* "
La Plage de Saint Tropez" (1993) by
Army of Lovers
* "Saint Tropez" (2013) by
Florin Salam
* "St. Tropez" on
J. Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
's 2014 album ''
2014 Forest Hills Drive''
* "
Took the Last Train" (1978) by
David Gates
* "
The Man" by
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
from her 2019 album ''
Lover
Lover or lovers may refer to a person having a sexual or romantic relationship with someone outside marriage. In this context see:
* Sexual partner
* Mistress (lover)
* Extramarital sex
* Premarital sex
Lover or Lovers may also refer to:
G ...
''
* "
Saint-Tropez" by
Post Malone on the 2019 album ''
Hollywood's Bleeding
''Hollywood's Bleeding'' is the third studio album by American rapper and singer Post Malone. It was released on September 6, 2019, by Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from DaBaby, Future, Halsey, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Ozzy ...
''
* "Lazy Day in Saint-Tropez" by Baby Grand on the 2019 EP ''Riviera''
* "St Tropez" by
Skepta,
Chip and
Young Adz
D-Block Europe, often abbreviated to DBE, is a British hip hop collective consisting of Adam Nathaniel "Young Adz" Williams, Ricky Earl "Dirtbike LB" Banton and Lil Pino from Lewisham, London. Their name is a reference to The Lox (also known as ...
on the 2020 album ''Insomnia''
"Skepta, Chip and Young Adz: ''Insomnia'' review – dark, funny and perfectly timed"
by Aimee Cliff, ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'', 27 March 2020
* "St. Tropez" by Margo Lee and the Players Edition (2022)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sainttropez
Communes of Var (department)
French Riviera
Phocaean colonies