AllWays FRANCE

Behind the Glitz and Glamour of Saint Tropez

By Sophia Hélène Price

Everyone should visit Saint Tropez at least once in their life...

We’ve all heard of the celebrity filled seaside resort of Saint Tropez, home to the international jet set, exclusive clubs and packed full of tourists hoping for a piece of the A-list lifestyle.

It's true that if you head to the Cote d'Azur during the busy months of July and August, you'll be overwhelmed by the impressive yachts and luxury cars, but whilst it's fun to dip in to this glamorous world, the real gems in Saint Tropez are actually hidden away from the busy port, in the narrow back streets of the town.

As you stroll by the delicious seafood restaurants and designer pop-up restaurants, you'll also find original boutiques and ateliers which were already present in the village long before the celebrities moored their yachts.

There are also many artists in Saint Tropez, and not just those who place themselves right on the water's edge.  Artist Ivan Hor is one of my personal favourites, and I always make a point of visiting his little gallery of paper boats with amusing tongue in cheek captions.

If you do fancy a bit of people watching, then you must grab a table at the renowned Cafe Senequier which was made famous by Brigitte Bardot and has received the likes of French novelist Colette, Karl Lagerfeld and Jacques Chirac amongst many others. It has become the place to see and be seen.

With its quaint cobbled stone passages, luxurious yachts and A-list crowd, Saint Tropez is undoubtedly a must on your itinerary in the French Riviera.

 

Where to Eat

 

Restaurant De La Ponche

Living the hectic lifestyle of an expatriate in various foreign countries, my annual holiday in the South of France was my one constant.

Year after year, I would look forward to swimming in the Mediterranean, dining on the patio and listening to the cicadas at sunset but one of my fondest memories is of lunching at the Restaurant de La Ponche with my family.

This quaint seafood restaurant (belonging to the renowned hotel of the same name) encompasses all the charm of the picturesque fishing village that Saint-Tropez once was before it was transformed into a playground for the rich and famous.

Elegant and convivial, the terrace restaurant opens to the sea overlooking the beautiful sandy beach where Roger Vadim filmed Et Dieu Créa la Femme (And God Created Woman) starring the beautiful Brigitte Bardot.

As a frequent diner of the Restaurant de La Ponche, I guarantee you won’t find a better meal than the exquisite menu from Chef Christian Geay and his talented staff at your service for more than 20 years.

A new experience came to me when, as a slightly conceited sixteen-year-old I once tried to impress a group of family friends by ordering seiche avec riz à la sauce de son encre (cuttlefish with rice in ink sauce).

I was deceived by the 'fish' in cuttlefish which I now know bears absolutely no resemblance to any fish whatsoever… it is in fact a rather intimidating giant squid-like creature, and I was far from delighted when I received my plate of tentacles.

Unfortunately due to my French pride, I was totally unable to admit my error and was left with no choice but to finish the entire dish. I must admit that after just a couple of mouthfuls, I started to really enjoy this French delicacy and now order it on a regular basis… It really goes to show that the fresh ingredients here never disappoint!
Accompanied by the most pleasant of waiters, a menu gourmand and the finest selection of wines, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to call this my number one restaurant in Saint-Tropez.

You’ll also find that my own personal appreciation of the restaurant is reflected in the list of celebrity followers of La Ponche which resembles that of the most prestigious red carpet events including Simone de Beauvoir, Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve, as well as Romy Schneider, Kylie Minogue and Jack Nicholson to name just a few.

I can't recommend the restaurant enough to anyone visiting Saint-Tropez, especially those who are keen to discover the authentic culture of the picturesque town behind its more superficial façade!

 

Restaurant Dior Des Lices

In the heart of Saint Tropez stands the beautiful Christian Dior resort flagship store, a three-story 18th century residence presiding over its tranquil garden along the Place des Lices.
Previously accessible only to the fashion elite and customers of the luxury designer label, the elegant garden has since been transformed into the most fashionable of pop-up restaurants with a gourmet summer menu created by 3-star Michelin chef Yannick Alléno, a familiar presence within the LVMH universe.
The temporary pop-up restaurant, Dior des Lices, is open daily from May to October and everyone is welcome for a hearty breakfast, lunch and evening meal or simply for an impromptu drink whilst enjoying the live jazz musicians.
On the menu, you'll find a selection of generous salades du jardin, artisanal breads, light pasta dishes and fresh seafood.
I was immediately tempted by the Penne with basil, country ham and parmesan shavings which was just perfect accompanied by a large glass of white wine in the dream-like setting.
The waiters were perfectly groomed in immaculate Dior uniforms, almost like watching one of the couturier's runway shows, and the service impeccable.
To finish on a sweet note, we chose a selection of the D'Choux, a variety of tiny puff pastries filled with flavoured crème pâtissière, which arrived as a selection of four each with its own gold-leaf letter spelling out DIOR... the little choux were fluffy and airy, definitely the most perfect way to end a wonderful evening and I was thrilled to learn these miniature Dior treats are also available to take away! 
The Restaurant Dior des Lices is open daily from 9.30am to 11pm.

 

Where to Shop:

 

The Ultimate Souvenir chez Rondini
 Unlike my earlier memories of Saint Tropez, it seems now that you can barely take two steps in the old fishing village without finding the Saint Tropez 'branding' splashed across absolutely anything from beauty products and clothing to artwork and cutlery.

If it's labelled Saint Tropez, it must be good. The truth is, however, the designers who really do deserve their Saint Tropez stamp are few and far between.

The Sandales Tropeziennes Rondini is one of these unique brands which is 100% Saint Tropez and the beautiful sandals, which are designed and handmade in the workshop behind the little boutique, are simply stunning!

As the first ever sandal cobbler in Saint Tropez, the Rondini family have been making their legendary leather designs for more than 85 years now with customers coming from all over the world to purchase their own pair of Rondinis. 

The story of the sandales tropeziennes actually begins in 1927 when founder Dominique Rondini started with just a single design. It was his son Serge who eventually developed the design into the wide collection of styles and colours which you can see in the store and online today.

Passed down from father to son, it is now Dominique's grandson, Alain, who runs the small boutique with all the work still happening behind the scenes at the back of the store.
Boasting durability and flexibility, the quality and craftsmanship is visible in every single pair of these sandals which are fitted to the customer's foot directly in the store. Here there are no boxed sandals to hand out to customers and shoe sizes cease to exist.

Instead every customer is taken through a careful fitting process to be sure that the shoes are perfectly matched to their feet and once a style has been selected and a fitting completed, the shoe is adjusted and tailored to the customer's foot, a rarity in today's commerce industry.

It's easy to understand why the small boutique is so busy at all times of day when you see the care and dedication which is put into each sale, far from your ordinary shoe shopping experience! The colours are bright and the styles varied and exotic, inspired by the sunshine of Capri, India, Egypt and the hot sands of the Sahara Desert.

There really is a style to suit every personality and I'm told by a happy customer that the comfort of the Rondini sandales tropeziennes  is far beyond any other shoe designer, enough to have me feeling very tempted as I look down at my own tight-fitting shoes.

Naturally, such time and dedication does not come cheap and a pair of these original sandales tropeziennes will set you back around 120 to 200 Euros, but I really believe you get more than what you pay for when you see and feel the craftsmanship and quality materials which go into each pair of shoes, without forgetting the fact that your shoes really are a match made in heaven for your feet!

You can view the full collection online and I am told the shop does answer to requests for sandals to be sent abroad however when ordering your shoes from a distance, Rondini asks that you be as precise as possible in sending your foot measurements to enable them to create a perfect fit.

 

The Atelier Ivan Hor

Away from the giant yachts and limited edition sports cars, in the cobbled streets of Saint Tropez you may be lucky enough to come across the Atelier Ivan Hor, an absolute treasure in the village which I visit religiously year after year!

From beautiful paintings to elaborate 3D scenes, his iconic pieces are made up of everything you can think of from origami boats and miniature French model cars to children's toys and lottery scratch cards. With fun phrases and tongue-in-cheek captions, there's almost always a touch of humour in Ivan Hor's artwork. 

I still recall my very first purchase, a postcard with one of the artist's trademark little origami boats next to the caption ‘mon premier bateau acheté a St Tropez’ (My first boat bought in Saint Tropez), a little souvenir which I am very fond of and I have since collected several more scenes… all beautifully crafted and depicting the South of France.

If you do happen to pass by the Atelier Ivan Hor, I highly recommend you step inside and if you have a little time to spare, introduce yourself to Ivan himself as he is always willing to have a good chat and his tales are very amusing.

The man himself is in fact a French artist of Hungarian origin who fled the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, arriving first in Toulouse before choosing to settle in Saint Tropez. His story is really fascinating and you'll find his biography, in several languages, in the atelier or online.

I was even gifted a signed biography on my last visit and reading through his story has only added to my admiration of this remarkable artist.

The Atelier is divided into two boutiques found at 40 rue Gambetta and 20 rue des Remparts in Saint Tropez with works of art selling for anything between a mere 20 Euros for a small piece and escalating up to 40,000 Euros for a wall-sized piece.

 

The Fact Box:

When to go:

The summer season is usually the best time to visit the South of France as you can be sure all the attractions and restaurants will be open for business. 

If you prefer to stay away from the hustle and bustle of tourists then you may prefer to visit in May as the weather is still reasonably good for swimming in the sea and businesses are usually just re-opening in preparation of the big vacations.

Both the 14th of July and the 15th of August are significant dates in France which are celebrated with big firework displays and lots of merriment and dancing in the main town square.

 

How to get there:

Arriving in Saint Tropez is not too complicated although if you’re coming from a large town or city, beware of public transport in the South of France which has nothing punctual about it!

If you’re heading to an airport I would recommend arranging a taxi well in advance or taking a much earlier bus to be safe as it is not unusual for buses to be very late and often too full to accept any more travellers!

Both Nice and Toulon airports are convenient for trips to Saint Tropez, about 2 hours drive.

 

Where to stay:

There are many hotels in and around Saint Tropez allowing for different budgets or you can also find yourself a self-catered apartment, villa or even enjoy one of the many campsites in the area. Be sure to book well in advance as half of France tends to migrate down to the south during the summer holidays.

 

What to eat and drink:

One of the most famous desserts in Saint Tropez is the Tarte Tropezienne which is an absolute delight!

Similar to two layers of brioche with a buttery creamy filling and topped with sugar crystals, it’s lighter than it sounds and comes in different variations including with various red berries. On a hot summer’s day, the drink to be enjoyed in the south of France is a citron presse which is simply lemon juice served with water and sugar for you to mix as you please.

 

How to get around:

Taxis and local buses are the simplest methods of transport in Saint Tropez although these can often be infrequent and need careful planning.

Renting a car is a good idea if you want to enjoy the many beautiful villages and towns surrounding Saint Tropez and you can book short boat trips to and from the tiny islands just off the coast as well as to some of the neighbouring ports including Cavalaire-sur-mer and Sainte Maxime.

 

What is spoken:

French is the native language spoken in Saint Tropez although it is usually easy to get by with English and even several other languages due to the huge influx of tourists from all over the world.

I would recommend learning a couple of words in French though as they can be touchy about tourists who make absolutely no attempt to learn the language.

 

What to spend:

You will need Euros for payments in Saint Tropez and although you can usually use all major international bank cards, there is often a minimum spend for smaller payments (usually 15 Euros) and American Express cards are not always accepted.

 

What to tip:

A service charge is generally included for restaurants but it’s still common practice to leave a small tip, usually 10% in restaurants and 1-2 Euros in a bar or cafe.

 

More information:

www.ot-saint-tropez.com