Saint Tropez Beaches
Côte d'Azur, France

St Tropez' Port des Pecheurs embraces a small beach with clear water and tidy sand.

Saint Tropez town sits prettily in France's Var department in what's known as both the French Riviera and the Côte d'Azur.

St Tropez is traditionally a fishing port and beaches in the town are coarse and rudimentary though the water is crystal clear. Most of the beach action on the peninsula takes place on the five kilometre Baie de Pampelonne, which is 5-10 kms south of Saint-Tropez [photos lower down the page].

Pampelonne consists of one long, wide beach split into beaches suited to different users, for example families, free willies [i.e. naturist beach], over-the-top party people or marine activities. Most beaches have their own beach huts, cafés, and other facilities.

Activities - with rental equipment available - include windsurfing, sailing and canoeing, jet bikes, water skiing and spraying each other with Cristal champagne.

A bigger though not very attractive beach just outside St Tropez [a few metres beyond the last house], Plage de la Fontenette is just below the Citadel, visible top right.

Now that's more like it!

Plage des Graniers is a charming little beach just a short walk past the seaside cemetary and below St Tropez' Citadel. We cannot imagine how packed this great little patch of sand becomes in the summertime as it's only 10 minutes walk from the town. It's an easy and lovely walk on the coastal path around past any number of other beaches including the monstrous Pampelonne cluster.

Plage de Tahiti, Pampelonne Bay, St Tropez peninsula.

This is Saint Tropez' famous nude beach, reputedly the first official nudist beach in the world and apparently favoured by the rich and famous, though not in September when it was favoured by overweight and aged north Europeans. Plage de Tahiti and neighbouring St Tropez beaches are lined with trendy clubs, cafés, and restaurants.

About 6 kilometres [4 miles] out of town, Baie de Pampelonne long stretch of soft sand was well layered with seaweed [and fat bottoms] when we were there in mid September. We would hope the cleaners will be on the job in the summer season.

Brigitte Bardot [who still lives nearby, along with a wailing platoon of cats] put Tahiti Beach on the map in the 50's when she was filmed there for 'And God Created Woman'.

On both sides of Tahiti are other beaches, identical in terms of sand, seaweed and bare breasts, differing only in dining, sports facilities and the type of people who hang out there. For example, Moorea Beach to the south is supposed to be where the glitterati hang; north is La Voile Rouge with a long-established and extravagant restaurant of the same name and clientele to match; L’Aqau Club is the last beach on this 5km [3 mile] bay. It’s a lively and popular restaurant and beach for gays, open year-around and enjoyed by many local clients.

La Voile Rouge closes:
The birth place of wild and wealthy beach clubs, La Voile Rouge will close after an 11 year legal battle over noise, both from incessant music and helicopters delivering guests. This stretch of sand on Pampelonne beach has been beach party central for actors, celebrities and the uber-rich for 45 years. In 2010 Paris Hilton spent €300,000 in one afternoon of spray-champagne fights €2,000 a bottle.
Deprived 'slebs will have to stagger down the beach to Moorea now.

Minibuses run to Pampelonne from the town's main square, Place des Lices, or full size buses from the Bus Station [Gare Routiere] to Pampelonne and L'Escalet [below].

Plage de l'Escalet

On the south side of Cap Camarat is L'Escalet Beach, a mid-size, free-access beach with large adjacent car park, though on the opposite side of the peninsula from Saint Tropez town. It lacks size and variety of facilities but makes up for that with cleanliness, character and ambience.

Information: France Map | France Beaches Guide