Mr & Mrs Smith

Sailing and jet skiing is available off Pampelonne beach – or to escape the jet-set Tropezian crowd, visit the mediaeval village of Saint-Paul De Vence – about an hour and a half’s drive away. Stroll around the stone ramparts, then have dinner at La Colombe d’Or restaurant (+33 (0)4 93 32 80 02). Warning: it can take weeks to get a table, so pre-book.

Small, intimate and locally approved, Au Caprice des Deux at 40 rue du Portail Neuf (+33 (0)4 94 97 76 78; www.aucapricedesdeux.com) does a fixed-price three-course menu for €57 a person. For a taste of traditional Provençal cuisine, book a table at the popular Fuchs (pronounced ‘foosh’) at 7 rue des Commerçants (+33 (0)4 94 97 01 25). Great for a light bite, with no pretentions, Le Café on Place des Lices (+33 (0)4 94 97 44 69; www.lecafe.fr) is one of St Tropez’s oldest brasseries, attracting locals and visitors alike. 

For something a little sophisti-glam, walk along the water-front to Le Quai Joseph at Quai Jean Jaurès (+33 (0)4 94 97 73 70) to sup cocktails on a floor of black sand. Or, if you fancy being sprayed with champagne alongside the raucous cocktail set, nearby Nikki Beach club at Ramatuelle beach (+33 (0)4 94 79 82 04) has to be experienced to be believed.

Label-conscious St Tropez antithesis, Le Café, Place des Lices, (+33 (0)4 94 97 44 69) is a treasure trove of locals and pétanque players with a real Tropezian atmosphere. Wander into legendary Café de Paris, le Port (+33 (0)4 94 97 00 65) for a spot of lunch and yacht crowd-watching. Sip an espresso or pick up a pastry from La Tarte Tropezienne, 510 Avenues des Narcisses, (+33 (0)4 94 43 41 20). Tropezian movers and shakers lunch at on-the-beach Club 55 (+33 (0)4 94 55 55 55).

Legendary discotheque Les Caves du Roy, in the Hôtel Byblos (+33 (0)4 94 56 68 00), is popular among the tanned and the scantily clad. A-listy VIP Room at the Résidence du Nouveau Port (+33 (0)4 94 97 14 70; www.viproom.fr) is open from midnight until dawn.

May Processions of sailor-suited locals mark the three-day Bravade festival, a tribute to local patron saints. June The Giraglia Cup is a 50-year yacht-racing tradition that’s one of the port’s busiest regattas. July The St Tropez elite turn their attention to the turf as the International Polo Cup comes to town (www.polo-st-tropez.com). September–October The international yachting competition Les Voiles de St Tropez sends the port populace sailing-giddy (www.ot-saint-tropez.com).