Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Saint Tropez More Than Tanning in the Sun

Saint tropez

Saint Tropez is colorful in more ways than one. 

Tan, yes.

Nude yes.

Boules, yes.

Pastis, yes.

Resort Fashion, yes.

Hideaway, yes.

White Bar, yes.

Chanel, yes.

Sandales, yes.

Sails, yes.

Blue sea, yes.

Chic, oh yeah…

 

Saint tropez color

 

Pink, yellow, orange, green… 

The elegant old town sits at the edge of the sea, bathing in beauty with a mix of ultra chic and "bring-it-down-to-earth" boule playing, espadrille wearing, straw hat comfort-blility.

 

Color saint tropez

 

Place des Lices, St. Tropez.

Market every Tuesday and Saturday  8:00 to 1:00.

 

Boules saint tropez

Saint tropze boules place lices

Saint tropez boules

 

"Place des Lices in the heart of St.-Tropez is a delightful place. When the Place is clear, you can see how its 100-year old plane trees divide it into seven long arcades and create an overlapping canopy of dappled sunlight. A view down a plane-tree lined arcade today is almost exactly the same as it was when Charles Camoin captured it in 1936."

 

St tropez shop

 

"Club 55 originated in 1955 when Brigitte Bardot was filming And God Created Women on Pampelonne Beach, it's synonomous with the St Tropez Beach scene since, sizzle pop."

 

Saint tropez port

Check it out saint tropez

 

Along the port a mouth dropping display of wealth. Yachts, Harleys, more Yachts, more Harleys, Guys gawking, girls swaying, wind blowing, sun beating, ice cubes melting, sails flying and restaurants and cafes standing by to catch the leftovers.

 

2cv St Tropez

 

And yet in the middle of the glitz and glam is an old fashion past tieing it together, giving it that extra hip coolness that otherwise would be wasted on snotty and snobby.

Brigitte Bardot…

 

St tropez shops

 

The back streets offer a few shops that have survived the buy out of cosmopolitan chic.

Visiting them keeps them alive and in my opinion keeps St. Tropez original and welcoming.

 

Chez eugenie st tropez

 

My friend Judy and cousin Daryl have been visiting us this last ten days, yesterday we went to St. Tropez. Along the back street, right off the port, we came to Chez Eugenie's Bazar, an old shop which remains strong, and charming, amongst many of chic brand names. Happily we stood admiring it. Judy noticed a poster of a painting advertising Henri Sie art.

We asked if we could buy it. Eugenie simply shook her head no, un taped it and gave it to us!

Judy was delighted.

That is the old Saint Tropez that is admirable, giving as the never ending waves lapping against its beaches.

 

St tropez street

Freinds st tropez

Poster in hand.

Happy, friends.

Enjoying the day in St. Tropez.

 

Riviera st tropez

For more information click on any of the links that are highlighted in this post such as this one St Tropez.

Comments

14 responses to “Saint Tropez More Than Tanning in the Sun”

  1. Dawn Edmonson

    Hi sweet girl….I know that it is so much more than tanning in the sun but why in the world when I saw the title of your post, I started singing that commercial in my head, “Bain de Soleil for the St. Tropez Tan”….do you know I bought that stuff for years and LOVED IT! xxoo, Dawn

    Reply
  2. labergerebasque

    I haven’t been to St Tropez since I was a 14 year old teenager and was told by my hosts’ son (Jean Marc, 18) that I could not go to the beach unless I removed my bikini top! I was visiting their family (to better my French) with another Basque American friend (who also received the same info) and we sweltered in that jeep for a couple of hours until it dawned on us that there were other women on the beach with one piece and full bikini (as well as monokini) swimsuits!
    That night we double sheeted his bed and put in pine needles and collected sap from the pine trees in the nearby mountains where they lived. Haha ! He had legs that were quite hairy and to shave parts to get the sap out! He was not a bicycle enthusiast so this was quite insulting for him. His mother laughed and he realized we could outsmart him should he try it again…he was far more respectful afterwards!
    You have reminded me of such a fond memory. I need to get off this farm and do my 6 week car tour in France and to St Tropez and the nearby villages!

    Reply
  3. labergerebasque

    Bain de soleil is actually a very good product 🙂

    Reply
  4. Zosia

    They say Australia is the lucky country, but I think France could contest this claim easily.

    Reply
  5. kelleyn

    Lovely! I am drooling with jealousy!

    Reply
  6. le petit cabinet de curiosites

    Hi Corey , I was there this week end in a very special hotel . I love so much this town, before the rush of the summer . I can’t wait to see you . I have a lot to tell you . Bisous

    Reply
  7. Sharon Mattern

    Eugenie’s generosity is not uncommon in France. While in France in May, I had three antique dealers pass along very nice gifts to me after I made purchases. I love the French people.

    Reply
  8. Diogenes

    Thank you for bringing back wonderful memories.
    Years ago my partner and I took the Train Bleu to St. Raphael. There, we rented a car to drive to St. Trop. We reserved a Ford subcompact, but they had rented all the cars except a BMW 5 series, which they gave us for the same price.
    We drove to St. Trop in style and stayed at the edge of town in a big house that had no glass in the windows (then) only shutters. At night, we went to this wonderful piano bar on a back street behind the harbor. We also walked back and forth along the yachts at the harbor trying to get invited to a party, but no luck!
    BTW, espadrilles like the ones in your photo have become popular with men on the west coast.

    Reply
  9. Joan Thodas

    Judy always has a good eye..ooo la la

    Reply
  10. Jenna

    Wow, sucked me in with all the blue a few days ago, now all this. Have fun with your friends, true friends are indeed a treasure.

    Reply
  11. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    My husband says to ask what route you took to get there. Of course you’re starting off from a different point than we did, the time we came from Les Arcs and inched, torturously slowly, along an incredibly slow crowded road by the water — we nearly lost our minds on the way there. I love your photos to show me what I was in no mood to appreciate by the time I got there. After lunch we peeled away and thoroughly enjoyed the less-crowded Grimaud and its castle.
    But, what route DID you take?

    Reply
  12. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    PS. Love the looooonnnnggg photo with C2V car at bottom. Also the men playing boules, especially the one man sitting in front of the knobbly plane tree. Lovely photos, all.

    Reply
  13. Lisa DeNunzio, La Dolce Villa

    What a trip you have taken me on. I could almost see, hear, smell St. Tropez (although I have never been there). Even though my roots are in Italy, I am a Francophile at heart. Books, literature, music and art. Allors…….
    Thanks for the wonderful sensory imagery. Best, Lisa

    Reply
  14. Kiki

    You know, I’ve been in St Tropez maybe three times and every time I was very pleasantly surprised by the ‘normality’ of it. Of course you have the excesses of wildest riches beyond any imagination, you have the otherwordly boats, the expensive hotels and ‘café’s’, but one can – sans problèmes – walk through the lanes, talk to shop keepers, buy lovely dresses and everybody is helpful, nice, talkative and not snotty and/or cynical like your average Parisien. I’ve only made good experiences and bought some of my loveliest clothes, had some great coffees – and Pastis – and some brilliant walks.
    The blues of the sea IS truly breathtaking! Wouldn’t mind going back – but this won’t happen very soon… Switzerland is on the agenda for a few times now.
    Thanks for your always lovely posts
    Kiki

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions