Luxury holidays in St Tropez

Under the hot sun, jet-setters pose on the promenade, basking in the enviable gleam of super-yachts and super-tans. Honeymooners, movie stars and millionaires mingle in slinky cocktail lounges, while the party crowd soak each other with champagne at Nikki Beach. But step back a little, away from the port and its A-list shenanigans, and a different Riviera light shines. Welcome to a more insouciant St Tropez, where pétanque balls clack in sandy, tree-lined squares, and senior citizens sup pastis in humble cafés. To be stylishly simple and flagrantly status-hungry takes confidence – and this town’s got it in spades.

Areas in St Tropez

When to go

The season in St Tropez follows the sailing calendar: May to September are the best months to go. Check your dates for diary clashes with regattas, when crowds and congestion may potentially mar your trip.

Follow us on Instagram

See the world through @mrandmrssmith

Getting there

  • Planes

    From the UK | British Airways | BMI Baby | EasyJet and Flybe fly to Nice | 90 minutes from St Tropez by car (www.ba.com; www.bmibaby.com; www.easyjet.com; www.flybe.com). The nearest airport is Toulon | served from Bristol and London Stansted by Ryanair in summer (www.ryanair.com).
  • Trains

    From London, take the train via Lille to Marseille (www.eurostar.com); from Paris, board the TGV (www. tgv.com). From Marseille to St Raphaël (as near as the railway gets to St Trop) the train offers deckchair views.
  • Automobiles

    It’s a long way from the UK to this easterly port | and only a masochist would take their motor into St Tropez itself. Determined drivers can use the Autotrain from Paris to Avignon or Nice | instead | and clock up the mileage from there (0844 848 4050).
  • Taxis

    You risk paying €25 to travel a distance that would take minutes on foot, so stick to walking or hotel shuttles.