The French Riviera’s celebrity honeypot sizzles with glitz and glam in the summer months, but venture off-season and you’ll discover its charming, sleepier side.
03 March, 2022
Squeezing
in more than 80,000 visiting jet-setters, sun-seekers
and celebrity-spotters per day between the months of July and
September,
St Tropez shrinks in population by over 90 per cent almost as
soon as the first October winds blow in. But, looking at its blue
skies, empty beaches and flea market – one of the best France has
to offer – we’re convinced the summer-loving crowds are missing a
trick. Visit this storied seaside town off-season and you’ll
discover its slower, less flashy side – think locals playing
pétanque on quaint cobbled streets, hotel
price tags that won’t cause your jaw to sink to the floor and, best
of all, a reliable dose of decent sunshine.
Weaving alongside rocky coves and empty, white-sand beaches, the
wild and windy Sentier du Littoral coastal walk is a pleasure in
summer – and downright magical in winter. Pick up the trail on the
outskirts of town, then march (or meander) along the water’s edge
for the next four or five hours. Once at Hyères, catch the ferry
across to the dazzling island of Porquerolles to enjoy a stroll
through its pine-scented groves.
Every Tuesday and Saturday morning, dozens of market stalls
descend upon buzzy central square Place des Lices, with vendors
selling an array of local produce, clothes, soaps and handmade
goodies. Usually packed in the summer, it’s a breezy dream
off-season, making it the place to chase down a real bargain. And
the croissants in the surrounding cafés? They’re delicious
year-round.
There’s something mesmerising about driving along St Tropez’s
coastal road outside of peak season. Staggeringly traffic-free (it
can often take an hour to travel half a kilometre here during the
summer), the route takes in some of the region’s most storied
vineyards. If you fancy a tipple, bookmark Maison
Angelvin. We’d also suggest taking a drive along the Route du
Mimosa, which offers a scenic view of inland Provençal life,
winding between quaint stone villages that open out onto carpets of
butter-yellow mimosa flowers during the spring.
Visit St Tropez in summer and you’ll be jostling with the masses
for a beachside daybed, but arrive outside of the high season and
you may well be the only one on the beach. Take a solo stroll along
iconic Pampelonne Beach and drink in the satisfying solitude as
fizzing waves lick the empty shoreline, then make a beeline for Le
Club 55. As one of Pampelonne’s most famous beach clubs, it’s often
snubbed for being a little showy – come here in the off-season,
though, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its laid-back vibe,
delicious sea views and equally appetising lunch menu.
Although you’ll be met with less choice, the hotels in St Tropez
drop their prices dramatically during the town’s quieter months.
Pick between superstar favourite La Bastide de
Saint-Tropez and eclectic boutiques Airelles
and Villa Cosy, or head
slightly further afield to Shangtasia
Luxury Art Room – a kooky, California-style villa owned by
renowned contemporary artist Philippe Shangti, whose four
individually designed bedrooms are filled with edgy artistic
flourishes.
