Saint-Tropez
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- For the Pink Floyd song see San Tropez (song)
Saint-Tropez is a commune of the Var département in southern France, located on the French Riviera.
History
The fame of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez was established a long time ago: legend says that the name 'Saint Tropez' comes from St. Tropes, a martyr who refused to give up his faith. He was beheaded and his body was thrown into a boat, which drifted into what is now called the Golfe de Saint-Tropez, where he finally came ashore.
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 city.
In the 1920s Saint-Tropez attracted international stars from the world of fashion. During World War II, on August 15, 1944, it was the central site of a beach landing in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. After the war it became the French existentialists' summer retreat. But it was in the 1950s — partly thanks to Brigitte Bardot — that Saint-Tropez received international recognition.
Pink Floyd wrote about it with their 1971 song San Tropez.
Local life
Set on the blue waters of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez, 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 (such as Le Sénéquier), 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 here in Summer. Visitors like to sit in the outdoor cafés hoping either to be seen or to see someone else.
Fête de la Bravade
A bravade (or 'act of defiance'), originally a procession in honour of a town's patron saint, is now a colourful Provençal festival. The Saint-Tropezienne bravade, every May, is one of the most famous, dating back to the 15th century. A bust of the patron saint is carried in a procession through the town with a guard of honour, with gun salvos, Provençal singing and dancing. This procession is one of the highlights in the Provence in May. It takes place between 16 May and 18 May.
Beaches: Baie de Pampelonne
The best Saint-Tropezien beaches are located along the coast in the Baie de Pampelonne, which lies south of Saint-Tropez and east of Ramatuelle. Pampelonne offers a collection of beaches along its five kilometre 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: Power boats, jet bikes and water skiing. Open during the day and night, the Pampelonne beaches are able to offer exactly the kind of beach life demanded by any tourist.
External links
- [Map of Saint Tropez]
- http://www.saint-tropez-web-radio.com/
- http://www.nrj-saint-tropez.com/
- http://www.presquile-saint-tropez.com/
- [St-Tropez Podcast]
- [Saint-Tropez facts and photography]
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