France
Welcome to Saint-Tropez: What to Expect
France
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez. The place where wealth knows no bounds, you might think. Well, let us introduce you to some of the other qualities of this French City. This information may even be of interest to people who already know Saint-Tropez. We give our honest opinion on the famous Saint-Tropez.
Also for you
Those who think Saint-Tropez is only for the upper class are wrong. Saint-Tropez is welcoming. There are plenty of different people with different statuses walking and driving through the streets of Saint-Tropez. However, we must admit that the prices in the stores and restaurants are rather high. You quickly pay 5 euros for a ham sandwich to take away. A bottle of drink to take away costs about 3.5 euros. This is not really on the cheap side anyway. On the other hand, Saint-Tropez is accessible to everyone. Chances are, like us, you’ll have to endure a half-hour traffic jam to get to the center, but everyone is certainly welcome there. The traffic jam is not even that bad, as you drive along the coast and have excellent views. Once you get there, parking costs can add up though. Definitely keep that in mind.
Recommended
We found the beautiful views Saint-Tropez has to offer to be the most impressive thing about the city. You can walk romantically along the water with a beautiful view. Saint-Tropez also has very charming alleys that lead you past beautiful boutiques. Especially in the evening, you can do some quiet window-shopping. Some stores are even open late at night.
During the day, it is also nice to dine at Dior Des Lices. It is a bar/restaurant of the famous fashion house Dior. You can have a drink as well as a bite to eat in a unique location. Breakfast seems to be highly recommended. Definitely worth it!
L’Opéra is then again a very decadent restaurant. You also don’t just walk in and it’s best to reserve your table in advance. Especially in the evening, the decadence comes alive. It is not uncommon there to see acrobats or singers pass by during your dinner. You may also spot someone familiar there.
Our opinion
We expected more from the marina of Saint-Tropez. This one is rather small and somewhat disorganized. Large yachts stand alongside smaller boats. Then in between are sailboats. In short, it doesn’t show very clean or very chic. Luxury, of course, is what you see. We found the port of Fréjus and Monaco a lot more beautiful and impressive. Both ports were also more orderly, in our opinion.
If you like a nice sunset, you should go to one of the many beach bars just outside the city. These are also pricey but the views and coziness are really worth it. In Saint-Tropez, you can’t see the sunset properly from a simple terrace by the harbor. It is also very cozy there, but the feeling is not the same.
In summary, we found Saint-Tropez definitely worth visiting. It is a charming place that has a lot to offer. Still, it disappointed us a bit in certain areas and we have to admit that Saint-Tropez is not quite what we expected it to be. Also keep in mind that you need to have some money in your pocket to fully enjoy the splendor of Saint-Tropez.