© Lonely Planet

ST-TROPEZ TO

3 PERFECT DAYS

 DAY 1 // ST-TROPEZ STYLE In St-Tropez mooch around place des Lices ( opposite ) with its marvellous jam-packed market, followed by a coff ee and croissant at Sartre’s Sénequier ( p281 ) and a poetic stroll along the coastal path ( p283 ). Devote the afternoon to art ( p281 ) and shopping ( p286 ), and come dusk motor through vineyards to Plage de Gigaro, where Couleurs Jardin ( p289 ) beckons for a beautiful dinner on the sand.

 DAY 2 // TRAVEL TO EAT This fertile area was created for gourmets: enjoy a luxuriant morning pottering around the hilltop village and market of ( p287 ), then lunch on grilled fi sh by the sea at Chez Camille ( p288 ) or between vines at Auberge de l’Omède ( p288 ). Drive inland through the Massif des Maures ( p295 ) to taste sweet chestnuts in Collobrières ( p295). Dine rustic at La Petite Fontaine ( p296 ) or Auberge de la Môle ( p298 ). If it is winter and truffl es turn you on, delve instead into the Northern : meander truffl e market ( p292 ) and dine at Chez Bruno and/or Les Chênes Verts ( p293 ).

 DAY 3 // A WINE-LOVER’S TRAIL Discover matchless Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) reds of ( p312 ) or bear southeast to La Londe, where the Route des Vins de la Londe ( p308 ) escorts wine lovers by bike through vineyards. As the sun sinks, sail to Île de Porquerolles ( p300 ) for a romantic dinner amid the largest wine-producing estate on the vine-rich island at luxuriant Mas du Langoustier ( p303 ). Or spend the night afl oat (p304 ). ST-TROPEZ TO TOULON

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PRESQU’ÎLE DE ST-TROPEZ PRESQU’ÎLE 8am-1pm Tue & Sat), 8am-1pm Tue h 04 94 97 44 69; www.lecafe.fr; place des Lices) 04 94 97 44 69; www.lecafe.fr; 04 94 12 70 00; rue François Sibilli) 9.30am-8.30pm Jul & Aug, 9.30am-12.30pm & 9.30am-8.30pm Jul & Aug, 9.30am-12.30pm PLACE DES LICES DES LICES PLACE Artists and intellectuals have met for have Artists and intellectuals AND SOUL OF ST-TROPEZ EXPLORING ST-TROPEZ ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL INFORMATION % % with everything from fruit and veg to an- with everything from fruit and veg and tique mirrors 92 68 48 28; www.ot-saint-tropez.com; quai Jean92 68 48 28; www.ot-saint-tropez.com; Jaurès; (place des Lices; ( h  and (whencafés Studded with plane trees, not on) the market’s roofs and an Italianate church tower an Italianate and church roofs so that campanile by Provençal topped in 1890, Signac Paul pointillist charmed by boat. arrive // EMERGENCIES ( TOURIST OFFICES // very and this is St-Tropez’s legendary Simply sitting central square. charming the watching terrace on a café pavement world go by or jostling with the crowds at a twice-weekly of its extravaganza 53 08; www.ch-saint-tropez.fr) Nearest hospital, 11km Nearest 53 08; www.ch-saint-tropez.fr) on D559 in Gassin from St-Tropez 2-7pm Apr-Jun, Sep & Oct,2-7pm Apr-Jun, & 2-6pm 9.30am-12.30pm Nov-Mar, Nov). closed Sun Jan & don’t confuse it with the newer, green- canopied Café on the corner of des Arts Le Café’s dimly lit historic the square. ceiling, with nicotine-coloured interior dating to 1789, is a sight in itself, as is a slab of cream-oozing (sponge-cake sandwich topped with sandwich (sponge-cake sugar) served on by suitably surly waiters Aspiring terrace. its pavement part of the St-Tropez experience. part of decades in St-Tropez’s famous Café des Arts, now simply called

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PRESQU’ÎLE PRESQU’ÎLE From swanky St-Tropez on the From swanky St-Tropez

Whatever the season,Whatever if you want to Yet there is a serene side to this village side to this village serene a is there Yet DE ST-TROPEZ DE ST-TROPEZ lionaire moorings, and an in lionaire Port, yachts like spaceships jostle for mil- like Port, yachts their sexy image ever since: at the Vieuxtheir sexy image favourite. Tropeziens have thrived on thrived Tropeziens have favourite. 1956) and transformed the peaceful into a sizzling jet-set overnight ing village la Femme Tropez in the ’50s to star in Pouting sexpot Brigitte BardotBrigitte came to St- Pouting sexpot charm the socks o charm ST-TROPEZ pop 5690 hilltop villages of Gassin and Ramatuelle Gassin of hilltop villages northern coast, Cavalaire, is the St-Tropez peninsula. Inland, the peninsula. Golfe de St-Tropez and the Baie de d’Azur – ring the on the Côte loveliest Jutting out into theJutting out sea, between the and gold – easily the yellow buttercream LONELYPLANET.COM 17th-century citadel, glowing terracotta cobbled lanes in the old a brooding of be seduced by the mirage sant (1850–93) comes to life: meander sant (1850–93) comes to life: along the coastal path. blestones’ that charmed Guy de Maupas- blestones’ that charmed old men play Lices café, watch to beach solitary splendour from beach scales glistening like pearls on the cob- like scales glistening La sip pastis at a place des of Ponche, or walk in (boules) beneath plane trees, mesmerising quaint beauty and ‘sardine summer. Out of season Out of the St-Tropez of summer. trampled by 100,000 visitors a day in a trampled by 100,000 visitors more tourists jostle to admire them. tourists jostle to admire more