, 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 A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Var Var or VAR may refer to: Places * Var (department), a department of France * Var (river), France * Vār, Iran, village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Var, Iran (disambiguation), other places in Iran * Vár, a village in Obreja commune, Ca ...

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 ...

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 pref ...

, Southern France. It is west of

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...

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 Sainte-Maxime (; Occitan and Provençal: ''Santa Maxima'') is a commune in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera (''Côte d'Azur''), west from Nice and east from M ...

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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

as part of Operation Dragoon. 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 In journalism, jet set is a term for an international social group of wealthy people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of tra ...

and tourists.

History

In 599 B.C., the

Phocaea Phocaea or Phokaia (Ancient Greek: Φώκαια, ''Phókaia''; modern-day Foça in Turkey) was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia (modern-day Marseille, in ...

ns from Ionia 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 ''Platanus'' is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae. All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching in height. All except f ...

). 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 Les Issambres () is a French village situated on the coastline of the Bay of Saint Tropez, between the Mediterranean sea and the wooded hills of the Massif des Maures. History The seaside and holiday destination of the commune of Roquebrune ...

. 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 unti ...

'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 adult m ...

and a

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

. 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 Mediter ...

in the West, pirates and privateers began a hundred years of attacks and sackings. In the tenth century, the village of

La Garde-Freinet La Garde-Freinet (; Provençal: ''La Gàrdia Frainet'') is a commune in the Var department in the Côte d'Azur area in southeastern France. Location La Garde-Freinet is a medieval French mountain village, located in the Massif des Maures, 15& ...

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 Pe ...

ic settlement of

Fraxinet Fraxinetum or Fraxinet ( ar, فرخشنيط, translit=Farakhshanīt or , from Latin language, Latin ''fraxinus'': "fraxinus, ash tree", ''fraxinetum'': "ash forest") was the site of a Muslim fortress in Provence between about 887 and 972. It ...

; in 940, Saint-Tropez was controlled by Nasr ibn Ahmad. From 961 to 963, Adalbert, son of

Berengar Berengar is a masculine name derived from Germanic roots meaning "bear" and "spear". The name appears frequently among certain noble families during the Middle Ages, especially the Unruochings and those related. Bérenger is the French form, while ...

, 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 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 10 ...

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 win ...

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 and Antibes 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 prefect ...

regain control of the

Lérins Islands The Lérins Islands (in french: les Îles de Lérins, ) are a group of four Mediterranean islands off the French Riviera, in Cannes. The two largest islands in this group are the Île Sainte-Marguerite and the Île Saint-Honorat. The smaller ...

. 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 La Mole (; oc, La Mòla) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. See also *Communes of the Var department The following is a list of the 153 communes of the Var department of Fr ...

, 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 Success ...

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's ...

, 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 (175 ...

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 h ...

Hasekura Tsunenaga was a kirishitan Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyō of Sendai. He was of Japanese imperial descent with ancestral ties to Emperor Kanmu. Other names include Philip Francis Faxicura, Felipe Francisco Faxicura, and Phi ...

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 Ver ...

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, Operation Dragoon. 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 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 wrote a song " San Tropez" after the town. Saint-Tropez was also mentioned in

David Gates David Ashworth Gates (December 11, 1940 – January 5, 2023) was a American singer-songwriter, guitarist, musician and producer, frontman and co-lead singer (with Jimmy Griffin) of the group Bread, which reached the top of the musical charts ...

'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'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 Antoine Konrad (born 23 June 1975), better known as DJ Antoine, is a Swiss house DJ and record producer from Basel. He has a number of successful single and album releases in Western Europe, in particular Switzerland, Germany and France. Musi ...

wrote a song " Welcome to St. Tropez". 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 of the ...

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 mor ...

. 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

and

Gunter Sachs Fritz Gunter Sachs (14 November 1932 – 7 May 2011, also Gunter Sachs von Opel) was a German photographer, author, Rosenberg student, industrialist, and latterly head of an institute that researched claims of astrology. As a young man he bec ...

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 Ramatuelle (; Provençal: ''Ramatuela'') is a commune in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. In 2016, it had a population of 2,077. History Ramatuelle lies near St-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Ga ...

. 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 Pampelonne (; oc, Pampalona) is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. See also *Communes of the Tarn department The following is a list of the 314 communes of the Tarn department of France. The communes cooperate in the fo ...

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 Cap d'Agde () is a seaside resort on France's Mediterranean coast. It is located in the commune of Agde, in the Hérault department within the region of Occitanie. Cap d'Agde was planned by architect Jean Le Couteur as part of one of the l ...

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 shipyards built

tartane A tartane (also tartan, tartana) was a small ship used both as a fishing ship and for coastal trading in the Mediterranean. They were in use for over 300 years until the late 19th century. A tartane had a single mast on which was rigged a large la ...

s 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 primar ...

. 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

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,

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 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 ...

, 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 bor ...

, 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. T ...

Traditional dishes

The Tarte tropézienne is a traditional cake invented by a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

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

, 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: LTT, ICAO: LFTZ) located in

, (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 foc ...

(IATA: NCE, ICAO: LFMN) (~95 km) * Toulon-Hyères Airport (IATA:TLN, ICAO:LFTH) (~52 km) *

Marseille Provence Airport Marseille Provence Airport () is an international airport located 27 km (17 miles) northwest of Marseille, on the territory of Marignane, both ''communes'' of the Bouches-du-Rhône ''département'' in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur '' r� ...

(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 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 ce ...

–

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, 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 pha ...

) – 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 drawing, draughtsman, printmaking, printmaker, and sculptur ...

, Pierre Bonnard and Albert Marquet 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,

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 Donald K. Sultan (born 1951) is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker, particularly well-known for large-scale still life paintings and the use of industrial materials such as tar, enamel, spackle and vinyl tiles. He has been exhibiting ...

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 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 Birgu ( mt, Il-Birgu , it, Vittoriosa), also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("''Victorious City''"), is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of ...

, Malta

Famous persons connected with Saint-Tropez

File:Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez2 (Var).svg, Saint

File:Hasekura in Rome.JPG, Portrait of

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;

, 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 Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

; 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 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 " men-at-arms" (literally, ...

(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 C ...

'' 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 terminolo ...

s File:Wcze_port_ST.jpg, Harbour promenade with cafes File:St. Tropez - alte Gendarmeriestation.jpg, Old gendarmerie station; popular spot for photographs (cf. ''

'') 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 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, ar ...

) * '' 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 * Jan ...

) * ' (

) * ''

'' (

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), '' Le gendarme se marie'' (

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. * Janu ...

), '' Le Gendarme en balade'' (

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...

), ''

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 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

) 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) * '' La Collectionneuse'' (

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

) * ''

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 ...

'' (

) * ''

Les Biches ''Les biches'' () ("The Hinds" or "The Does", or "The Darlings") is a one-act ballet to music by Francis Poulenc, choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska and premiered by the Ballets Russes on 6 January 1924 at the Salle Garnier in Monte Carlo. Ni ...

'' (

) * '' 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 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

) * '' La Cage aux Folles'' ( 1978) * '' Le Coup du parapluie'' ( 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 offensiv ...

) * ''

Les Sous-doués en vacances is a 1982 French comedic film, directed by Claude Zidi. It is the sequel to ''Les sous-doués'' (1980). Production The film was shot between 10 August and 3 October 1981. Roland Moreno, the real life inventor of the smart card, was cast in th ...

'' (

) * 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 erotic movies and thrillers through the 1960s ...

: '' Les Branchés à Saint-Tropez'' (

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...

), ''

Deux enfoirés à Saint-Tropez ''Deux enfoirés à Saint-Tropez'' (''Two bastards in Saint- Tropez'') (1986) is a French B movie 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 di ...

'' (

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 enter ...

) 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. Cast * Andrée Damant ...

'' (

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...

) * '' A Summer in St. Tropez'' (

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

) * ' (

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

) * ' (

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 ''Sous le soleil'' (''Under the sun''; ) is a French soap opera broadcast on French major channel TF1 from 1996 to 2008. A spin-off, ''Sous le soleil de Saint-Tropez'' has been broadcast in French channel TMC since 2013. Broadcast It has been ...

'', broadcast in over 100 countries by the name "Saint-Tropez" Literature * ''Saint-Tropez, avec des lithographies originales by Bernard Buffet'' (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, 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 françai ...

, 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 Henri Lebasque (25 September 1865 – 7 August 1937) was a French post-impressionist painter. He was born at Champigné ( Maine-et-Loire). His work is represented in French museums, notably Angers, Geneva (Petit Palais), Lille ( Musée des Be ...

(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 and George Sperry (1962) * " J'aime les filles" (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 sepa ...

* '' Looking for Saint Tropez'', 1979 album by group

Telex The telex network is a station-to-station switched network of teleprinters similar to a telephone network, using telegraph-grade connecting circuits for two-way text-based messages. Telex was a major method of sending written messages electroni ...

* "Paris – Saint-Tropez" by

Marie Laforêt Marie Laforêt (born Maïtena Marie Brigitte Doumenach; 5 October 1939 – 2 November 2019) was a French singer and actress, particularly well known for her work during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1978, she moved to Geneva, and acquired Swiss citize ...

from the 1960 film ''Saint-Tropez Blues'' * " San Tropez" by Pink Floyd from the album ''

Meddle ''Meddle'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released by Harvest Records. The album was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971 at a series of locations around London, including EM ...

'' * "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 The Rippingtons are an American contemporary jazz group, mainly relating to the genres smooth jazz, jazz fusion, jazz pop, and crossover jazz. Formed in 1985 by guitarist and band leader Russ Freeman, their career has spanned more than three de ...

on the 1992 album ''

Weekend in Monaco ''Weekend in Monaco'' is the sixth album by the American jazz group the Rippingtons, released in 1992. The album reached No. 2 on ''Billboards Contemporary Jazz chart. It has sold more than 300,000 copies. Critical reception ''The Washington P ...

'' * "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 Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...

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 the ...

'' * " Welcome to St. Tropez" by

and

Timati Timur Ildarovich Yunusov (born August 15, 1983), better known by his stage name Timati (russian: link=no, Ти́мати), is a Russian rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Biography Early life Timur Ildarovich Yunusov ( ...

featuring Kallena Harper * "Сен Тропе" (Saint Tropez, 2011) by

Azis Vasil Troyanov Boyanov (; born 7 March 1978), professionally known as Azis (), is a Bulgarian recording artist, of mixed Bulgarian and Romani ethnicity. Azis initially rose to prominence in Eastern Europe performing songs mostly in chalga, a ...

* "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, and melancholia, with frequent r ...

* " La Plage de Saint Tropez" (1993) by

Army of Lovers Army of Lovers is a Swedish dance- pop group which formed in 1987 and had a number of hits in Europe throughout the 1990s. Some of their biggest successes include the song "Crucified", which was a big hit in Europe, charting 31 weeks in the E ...

* "Saint Tropez" (2013) by Florin Salam * "St. Tropez" on J. Cole's 2014 album ''

2014 Forest Hills Drive ''2014 Forest Hills Drive'' is the third studio album by American rapper J. Cole. It was released on December 9, 2014, by ByStorm Entertainment, Columbia Records, Dreamville Records and Roc Nation. Recording sessions took place over the whole ye ...

'' * " Took the Last Train" (1978) by

* " 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. Bor ...

from her 2019 album '' Lover'' * " 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 hip ...

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 Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a type of immunoprecipitation experimental technique used to investigate the interaction between proteins and DNA in the cell. It aims to determine whether specific proteins are associated with specific genom ...

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 Gu ...

'', 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