Forget all the hype about topless bathing, hedonistic bar scenes, and preening celebrities - St-Tropez is hands down the Riviera's most charming town, a pastel-colored fishing village that happens to be one of
the most glamorous spots on earth. Just don't come in July or August,when dense crowds make even a stroll in front of the yacht-filled harbor nearly impossible. Unlike other Riviera towns, St-Tropez has a perfectly preserved center - a colorful port unmarred by high-rise hotels and virtually unchanged for more than a century. (For evidence, visit the portside Impressionist museum L'Annonciade to see the early-20th-century images of St-Tropez.) Bustling cafes crowd the old port, and behind them, the winding village streets beckon with exclusive boutiques and romantic restaurants. All paths lead up to the citadel, a 16th-century fort perched at the top of the town.
The beaches of St-Tropez are a lively scene - an integral part of the Tropezienne experience. The most famous beaches are located several miles from town and lined with restaurants and clubs. Pampelonne
Beach, on the peninsula's southeast coast, is the most famous (or notorious) stretch of sand on the Riviera. After a day on the beach, it's time to gear up for a memorable dinner and a taste of St-Tropez after dark. The crowd is young and starts out late: Dinner is at 10 p.m., and bar hopping begins shortly thereafter. If you aren't into the bar scene, you may enjoy strolling along the old port or people-watching from one of the portside cafes.
St-Tropez is difficult to get to without a car (no trains stop there) or even with a car. Plan on at least a half-day of travel to reach the resort.Summer traffic onto the peninsula can be bumper-to-bumper for miles.To get there the closest major bus-and-train hub is St-Raphaël, 38km (24 miles) east of St-Tropez. Bus fares from Cannes to St-Raphaël require a change at the agrarian hamlet of Le Trayas, take about 70 minutes of travel time, and cost 6.80EUR (.85) each way. Continuing on by bus from St-Raphaël to St-Tropez costs an additional 3EUR (.90).
St-Raphaël is on the main coastal train line for the Riviera. A train from Nice to St-Raphaël takes between 50 and 75 minutes and costs 10EUR to 12EUR (-); trains from Cannes to St-Raphaël take 22 minutes and
cost 6EUR to 8EUR (.80-). Other nearby train stations are at Toulon (60km/37 miles) and Marseille (134km/83 miles). For train information,call %08-92-35-35-39 or 3635 within France.
Transports Maritimes Raphaëlois runs a shuttle boat service between St-Raphaël and St-Tropez. Boats run daily (July and Aug), taking one hour and costing 12EUR one-way. From April to June and in September and October, only two shuttle boats travel between St-Raphaël and St-Tropez each week. St-Tropez is about 20 minutes by boat from St-Maxime (14km/9 miles east of St-Tropez), and two companies make shuttle boat trips between them daily (in season):Transports Maritimes (%04-94-55-09-92), running from April to November 4, and Les Bateaux Verts, which run year-round. Both charge 12EUR () for adults and 6.30EUR (.20) for children ages 4 to 12.
The major airports (and distances) nearest St-Tropez are the Aéroport Toulon-Hyères (56km/35 miles), Aéroport International de Nice Côte d'Azur (91km/57 miles), Aéroport International de Marseille-Provence (115km/72 miles), and Aeroport St-Tropez-La Môle (15km/9 miles). La Môle, located to the northwest of St-Tropez is a relatively new landing strip, suitable only for small planes whose arrival and departure rituals may remind you of equivalent small-plane "puddle jumps" throughout the Caribbean. The airports have offices for all major car-rental agencies. A taxi from the Nice airport to St-Tropez costs a whopping average of 180EUR to 225EUR (4-3) each way for up to four passengers. The distance from the other airports to St-Tropez makes a rental car your best option.
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