, 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 and t ...

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 prefe ...

Southern France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', A ...

. 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 c ...

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 Fran ...

, on the

French Riviera The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation "Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend from ...

, 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. 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 ''Yé-yé'' () (''yeyé'' in Spanish) was a style of pop music that emerged in Western-Southern Europe in the early 1960s. The French term "''yé-yé''" was derived from the English "yeah! yeah!", popularized by British beat music bands such as ...

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 Ionian ...

founded Massilia (present-day

) 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 Cavalaire-sur-Mer (, literally ''Cavalaire on Sea''; oc, Cavalaira de Mar, label= Provençal or simply ''Cavalaira'') is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, southeastern France. History Cavalaire-sur-Mer is ...

, 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 external ...

Saint Torpes Torpes of Pisa (''Torpetius, Tropesius'') (french: Saint Torpès, Saint Tropez, it, Torpete, Torpes, Torpè, russian: святой мученик Тропезий) (died 65 AD) is venerated as an early Christian martyr. The town of Saint-Tropez, ...

. Legend tells of his decapitation at

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ...

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 unt ...

's reign, with his body placed in a rotten boat along with a

rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...

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- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Medite ...

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 P ...

ic settlement of Fraxinet; 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, hid at Saint-Tropez. In 972, the Muslims of Saint-Tropez held

Maïeul Majolus of Cluny (Maieul, Mayeul, Mayeule) (c. 906 – May 11, 994) was the fourth abbot of Cluny. Majolus was very active in reforming individual communities of monks and canons; first, as a personal commission, requested and authorized by the ...

, the abbot of Cluny, for ransom. In 976,

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 108 ...

Count of Provence The land of Provence has a history quite separate from that of any of the larger nations of Europe. Its independent existence has its origins in the frontier nature of the dukedom in Merovingian Gaul. In this position, influenced and affected by ...

, 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 ...

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 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 prefecture ...

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 Admiral comte Pierre André de Suffren de Saint Tropez, bailli de Suffren (17 July 1729 – Paris, 8 December 1788), Château de Saint-Cannat) was a French Navy officer and admiral. Beginning his career during the War of the Austrian Succe ...

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 ...

. In September 1615, Saint-Tropez was visited by a delegation led by the Japanese

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of History of Japan#Medieval Japan (1185–1573/1600), medieval and Edo period, early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retai ...

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. Bravades de Saint Tropez 2015 (4)

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 , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ve ...

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 Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with popularizing a sporty, c ...

and Elsa Schiaparelli. During

, the landing on 15 August 1944 began the Allied invasion of southern France,

. 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 name ...

'', 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 , 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 of Provence-Al ...

" after the town. Saint-Tropez was also mentioned in David Gates's 1978 hit "Took the Last Train",

Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize t ...

'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 consist ...

" and in Aerosmith'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 "Welcome to St. Tropez" is a song by Swiss DJ and record producer DJ Antoine taken from his studio album ''2011''. It features vocals by Russian rapper Timati and American singer-songwriter Kalenna. Originally, the song is by Timati and Russian ...

". The motto of Saint-Tropez is ',

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the 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 the power ...

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, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...

. The city is well known for the Hôtel Byblos and for Les Caves du Roy, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World; its 1967 inauguration featuring

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 Naturism is a lifestyle of practising non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms a ...

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

, 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'') featuring

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

. In the end, the nudist side prevailed. Topless sunbathing is now the norm for both men and women from Pampelonne beaches to

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

Saint-Tropez-20160411-06-1 (26139720753)

The port was widely used during the 18th century; in 1789 it was visited by 80 ships. Saint-Tropez's

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance ...

s 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. 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 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 () southwe ...

, 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 France–Italy border, Italian border ...

, 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 ci ...

Traditional dishes

The Tarte tropézienne 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

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

, Sainte-Maxime,

, 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 The Airport of the Golfe of Saint Tropez (Aéroport du Golfe de Saint Tropez, ) is an airport located in La Môle, southwest of Saint-Tropez, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Aéroports de ...

( IATA: 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 ...

: 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 focu ...

(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 associ ...

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, the ...

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 cent ...

–

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 scho ...

) – 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 ed ...

s – primary education): Louis Blanc and Les Lauriers, collège d'enseignement secondaire ( secondary school, 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 Paul Victor Jules Signac ( , ; 11 November 1863 – 15 August 1935) was a French Neo-Impressionist painter who, working with Georges Seurat, helped develop the Pointillist style. Biography Paul Signac was born in Paris on 11 November 1863. ...

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 to come to Saint-Tropez. The painting styles of pointillism and

fauvism Fauvism /ˈfoʊvɪzm̩/ is the style of ''les Fauves'' (French language, French for "the wild beasts"), a group of early 20th-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the Representation (arts), repr ...

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 and Donald Sultan lived and worked there. Today,

Stefan Szczesny Stefan Szczesny (born 9 April 1951) is a German painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. He is best known for co-founding the Neue Wilde movement in the early 1980s. Biography 1951–1994 Stefan Szczesny was born in Munich as the son of the ph ...

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 rest ...

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 Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

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,

at Saint-Tropez, 1963 File:Louis de Funès — Tournage Le Gendarme et les Extra-terrestres — Saint-Tropez, 1978.jpg,

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 Torpes of Pisa (''Torpetius, Tropesius'') (french: Saint Torpès, Saint Tropez, it, Torpete, Torpes, Torpè, russian: святой мученик Тропезий) (died 65 AD) is venerated as an early Christian martyr. The town of Saint-Tropez ...

; Hasekura Tsunenaga, probably the first Japanese in Europe, who landed in Saint-Tropez in 1615; a hero of the

, Admiral Pierre André de Suffren de Saint-Tropez; the icon of modern Saint-Tropez,

, who started the clothes-optional revolution and still lives in the Saint-Tropez area;

, who played the character of the gendarme (police officer) in the French comedy film series '' Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez'' 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'') File:Tarte Tropezienne.jpg, '' Tarte tropézienne'' (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) * '' Bonjour Tristesse'' ( 1958) * ' ( 1960) * ' ( 1960) * '' Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez'' (

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

) 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 Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

), ''

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 of 1968, 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 Czechos ...

), ''

Le Gendarme en balade ''The gendarme to stroll'' (french: Le gendarme en balade) is the fourth instalment of the gendarme series starring Louis de Funès and also known as "The Gendarme Takes Off" and "The Troops on Vacation". It is followed by two more films: ''Le gen ...

'' ( 1970), '' Le Gendarme et les Extra-terrestres'' ( 1979) and finally '' Le Gendarme et les Gendarmettes'' (

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., Un ...

) * '' La Collectionneuse'' (

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establ ...

) * '' La Chamade'' (

) * '' Les Biches'' (

) * '' La Piscine'' ( 1969) * '' Le Viager'' ( 1972) * '' La Cage aux Folles'' ( 1978) * ''

Le Coup du parapluie ''The Umbrella Coup'' (french: Le Coup du parapluie) is a 1980 French comedy film directed by Gérard Oury, starring Pierre Richard, Gordon Mitchell and Gert Fröbe. The creation of the film was inspired by several assassinations of Bulgarian d ...

'' ( 1980) * ' (

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major off ...

) * '' Les Sous-doués en vacances'' (

) * Trilogy by Max Pécas: '' Les Branchés à Saint-Tropez'' ( 1983), '' Deux enfoirés à Saint-Tropez'' ( 1986) and '' On se calme et on boit frais à Saint-Tropez'' ( 1987) * ''

A Summer in St. Tropez ''A Summer in St. Tropez'' or ''Un été à Saint-Tropez'' (original French title) is a 1983 French film directed by photographer David Hamilton. Principal photography The film was shot at and around David Hamilton's own house in Saint 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

'' (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 ''Sunset in St. Tropez'' is a novel by Danielle Steel, published by Dell Publishing on June 3, 2003. The book is Steel's fifty-fifth best selling novel. The plot follows tales of friendship concerning three couples, who have been friends all the ...

'' by Danielle Steel, 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 fran� ...

, 2004 * ''La Légende de Saint-Tropez'' by , preface by

, éditions Assouline, 2003 Painting Paul Signac Port de Saint-Tropez

* ''Port of Saint-Tropez'',

(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 October 1961 * "St. Tropez" by

Harry Warren Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...

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 Jacques Dutronc (born 28 April 1943) is a French singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, and actor. He married singer Françoise Hardy on 30 March 1981 and together they have a son (manouche jazz) guitarist Thomas Dutronc, born 1973); they se ...

* ''

Looking for Saint Tropez ''Looking for Saint Tropez'' is the debut studio album of Belgian electronic band Telex, released in 1979. Track listings Original Bonus tracks Japan (CD #ALCA-557, Alfa Records) (1994) France (CD #LM54070, Le Maquis) (2003) Charts R ...

'', 1979 album by group Telex * "Paris – Saint-Tropez" by Marie Laforêt from the 1960 film ''Saint-Tropez Blues'' * "

" by

from the album '' Meddle'' * "Permanent Vacation" by Aerosmith 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 Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his discography spanning Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton ...

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 ...

'' * "

" by DJ Antoine and Timati featuring Kallena Harper * "Сен Тропе" (Saint Tropez, 2011) by Azis * "St. Tropez (Party Girl)" by

Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, Glamour (presentation), glamour, and melan ...

* "

La Plage de Saint Tropez "La Plage de Saint Tropez" is a song recorded by Swedish group Army of Lovers. It was released in 1993 as the second single from their third album, '' The Gods of Earth and Heaven'' (1993), and peaked at number one in Greece, number 17 in Flanders ...

" (1993) by Army of Lovers * "Saint Tropez" (2013) by

Florin Salam Florin Stoian (born 1 October 1979), better known by his stage name Florin Salam, is a Roma manele singer. Beginnings Salam was born into a family of lăutari. During his adolescence, he sang together with his father and uncle's ensembles. Aft ...

* "St. Tropez" on J. Cole's 2014 album '' 2014 Forest Hills Drive'' * "

Took the Last Train "Took the Last Train" is a song by David Gates, lead singer of the group Bread, which was released as a single in 1978 following the premiere of the hit film ''The Goodbye Girl''. It was the follow-up single to the title track hit song from the ...

" (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: Geogr ...

'' * " Saint-Tropez" by

Post Malone Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his variegated vocals, Malone has gained acclaim for blending genres and subgenres of hi ...

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, ...

'' * "Lazy Day in Saint-Tropez" by Baby Grand on the 2019 EP ''Riviera'' * "St Tropez" by

Skepta Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (born 19 September 1982), known professionally as Skepta, is a British-Nigerian grime MC, rapper and record producer. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became foundin ...

, Chip and Young Adz 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 A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'', 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