If anywhere has Main Character Energy, it’s St-Tropez. And you could say the same about the woman who contributed hugely to its enduring fame. Brigitte Bardot filmed And God Created Woman in this tiny fishing village in 1956 and has been in and out of the spotlight since – whether it’s for her extraordinary looks, her movies, her reclusive lifestyle or her outspoken opinions on everything from sexual freedom to animal welfare.
The French Riviera town never looked back after that movie, and it’s still attracting the rich and famous to its shores each summer today. They party on the beaches, dance in the nightclubs, and lounge on yachts moored in the harbour. We’re talking Beyoncé and JayZ, Leonardo di Caprio and Bono, Naomi Campbell and Inès de la Fressange, to name just a few.
If you want to experience the real St Tropez, you should go in spring or autumn, when it’s quieter and resembles the fishing village of its past but with all the attractions of the modern day. It has an array of five-star hotels to check in to, and numerous Michelin-starred restaurants. Plus, it boasts authentic Provencal traditions and heritage in its cuisine, handicrafts and winemaking.
Where to stay in St Tropez
St-Tropez may be small but it has an excellent selection of high-quality hotels including three Palace hotels. This is a French classification that elevates the best five-star hotels to a notch above. There are 31 Palace hotels in France, half of which are in Paris. St-Tropez has three Palace hotels and a good selection of three-, four- and five-star options and boutique hotels.
The town is best explored on foot and in many parts, like the characterful old town and La Ponche, it’s pedestrian-only due to the labyrinthine streets and cobbled squares.
From the centre, you can walk around the headland or take a boat trip to ogle the millionaire villas that are dotted along the coast, from Bardot’s beachside retreat to three l’Oréal-owned mansions and the house they call Octopussy for its role in the Bond movie. The closest beaches, like Plage des Graniers and Plage des Canoubiers, are a mix of small coves and longer sand stretches.
If you continue round the coast you end up at Pampelonne Beach, an expanse of sand that plays host to St-Tropez’s famous beach party scene. Most high-end hotels run private beach clubs, and taxis ferry partygoers from town and back.
If you’ve got more time, you could also extend your trip and use St. Tropez as the first stop along the Cote D’Azur. Nice, Cannes and Antibes are all Mediterranean city centres well worth a visit.
How we chose the best hotels in St Tropez
The hotels on this list are five star or Palace. St-Tropez isn’t huge, and if you go out of season, it’s possible to stay right in the centre and not feel overwhelmed. Everything is in walking distance.
That said, due to the nature of the fishing village, hotel plots in town are small, so we’ve also included some bigger hotel estates that are within a few minutes’ drive. We looked at swimming pools, proximity to beaches, facilities like hot tubs and spas, on-site restaurants, bars and nightclubs and we factored in the different kinds of holiday you might want – family, romantic, girls’ group, etc. Finally, it being a celeb hotspot, we did a bit of digging about famous visitors past and present.
(Our room prices are based on one double room for one night in September. Domaine Louise rents villas only, so contact them for a price). After more hotels in Europe? Explore the best hotels in Santorini, best hotels in Mallorca and best hotels in Puglia.