Subscribe To This Site
Saint Tropez | French Riviera Saint Tropez
Saint Tropez or Saint Trop (this is the way we call it here, I mean in a "chic"way!) on the French Riviera was the antique Athenopolis, or Heraclea Caccabaris, the name used again by the Thermidoriens in 1793. In "modern" times, the village was listed as Ecclesia Sancti Torpetis in 1055, named after one of Nero's centurions who was beheaded in Pisa for the sake of his religion. Torpès' body and his head, along with a dog and a cock, was placed in a boat and set adrift. The dog and cock were
The current name of Saint Tropez came after the Revolution. It is a commune of the Var department in southern France, located on the French Riviera.  Back to top.
Numerous prehistoric vestiges have been discovered on the peninsula, including at Capon, Les Salinelles, Vinol and the little island of La Moutte. At least 20 prehistoric habitations have been located between the Gulf of Saint Tropez and the bay of Cavalaire.  Back to top.
Greeks and Romans left many signs of their passage, both on land and sea. Gallo-Roman shipwrecks have been found at La Moutte and Rabiou. Greek and Phoenician and ancient-Italian shipwrecks are at San Peyre and off Cap Camarat. Thirteen huge statues of Carrare marble destined for the Temple of Augustus in Narbonne were discovered off the village; they were brought to the surface in 1951 and taken to Fréjus.  Back to top.
In the 11th century, Saint Tropez was a priory of St-Victor. In the following centuries, the town was ruled by the Viscounts of Marseille, the Castellanes and the Suffrens. The town was rebuilt by Genoise families and in the 15th century. In the 16th century, it was a popular seaport, first for corsairs and adventurers and later for fishing, shipbuilding and trading. There were frequent attacks during the 16th and 17th centuries by Turks, Spanish and troops of the Duc de Savoie. Between 1470 and 1672, Saint Tropez was effectively ruled as an independent republic by captains drawn from its guilds and elected by the town citizenry. The captain had the privilege of raising a standing army, which drove away a fleet of Spanish galleons in 1637 and the area was not taxed or levied by the French government during this time. However, this privilege was abrogated by King Louis XIV, who reasserted French control over the town. The mission of the Japanese samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga en route to Rome visited the towm in September 1615, in what is known as the first instance of Franco-Japanese relations.  Back to top.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Saint Tropez's principle industry was its port, for shipping and, somewhat, fishing. It attracted international stars from the world of fashion. The port was destroyed in 1944, and rebuilt after the war. On August 15, 1944, it was the central site of a beach landing in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. In the early 1950's, the Bohemian artists quarter in Paris had made the city their summer quarters, and the famous writers, actors and painters brought the town a reputation that remains to this day. A new era started and the town became the French existentialists' summer retreat. But it partly thanks to Brigitte Bardot that the city received international recognition. Le gendarme de Saint Tropez movie series made the city famous internationally.  Back to top.
Set on the blue waters of the Gulf, this modern version of a medieval town is most popular for the line of luxury yachts in her harbour and the facing line of terrace cafés, divided by a parade of strolling tourists and slowly cruising sports cars. Night life is very lively and often one can see helicopters bringing elegant guests to private parties, in one of the many luxurious villas in the bay. "People watching" is a favourite sport in the summer. Visitors like to sit in the outdoor cafés, hoping either to be seen or to see someone else. Opinion suggests that the best beaches are located along the coast in the Baie de Pampelonne, which lies south of the city and east of Ramatuelle. Pampelonne offers a collection of beaches along its five kilometres shore. Each beach is around thirty metres wide with its own beach hut and private or public tanning area! Some beaches are very chic and offer fashion shows on the beach, others are quiet and relaxing and some even have restaurants and cafés directly on the water's edge. Many of the beaches offer windsurfing, sailing and canoeing equipment for rent, while others offer an abundance of motorized water sports, such as power boats, jet bikes and water skiing.  Back to top.
Each year, in early October, a regatta is held in the bay. This is a draw for a great many classic yachts, some up to 50 metres in length. At this time, the harbour is a hive of activities.  Back to top.
A ferry boat connection operated by Les Bateaux Verts connects the town with Sainte Maxime, across the bay. Or you can arrive by helicopter from Nice airport or Monaco, it worth it. I am lucky enough to do it a couple of times a year for my work and believe me the scenery is just amazing!  Back to top.
Saint Tropez : Holidays in paradise video Saint Tropez video    (Please click on the Picture above and be patient, the video may take a minute to load. It is hosted on VRMAG Project - Quicktime required.)  Back to top.
 Citadel Harbour Le Mole Town hall
 Back to top.
 Back to top.
 Return from Saint Tropez Page to French Riviera Guide Return from Saint Tropez Page to About French Riviera
|
