Citadelle
1 Monteé de la Citadelle, 83990 Saint Tropez, Tel: +33 (0)4 94 97 59 43
Opening Hours:
1st April – 30th September 10.00 – 18.30
1st October – 31st March 10.00 – 17.30
Closed: 1st January, 1st May, 17th May, 11th November, 25th December
Admission Fee: €3 Adult, Children under 12 years old are free
Built in 1602 as a part of the Provençal coastal defense to deter the Spanish from invading, the Citadelle dominates the hillside overlooking Saint Tropez to the east. It endures one of the only of this scale left on the coast of Var region. In 2013, the interactive museum of Maritime history opened its door highlighting the precious heritage and history of generations of Tropezian and Provençal sailors, fishermen and merchant seamen. Through centuries of fishing, trading, traveling and exploring, those seafarers shaped Saint Tropez into the town we know today.
The museum is well designed and contains a huge amount of interesting facts, (information boards are in both French and English language) and well preserved historical artefacts.
If in a need of a break there is a mini “cinema room” with reclining seats on the second floor that screens the footage of a ship in a storm on its ceiling. Whether that sounds relaxing or not, we will leave up to you. The grounds surrounding the Citadelle with exotic peacocks wandering around are splendid, so are 360 degrees views of the bay of Saint Tropez.
Eglise Notre Dame de l’Assomption
Rue Commandant Guichard, 83990 Saint Tropez
Built in 1784 in Italian Baroque style, this church is today one of the most recognizable symbols of the town. The facade was covered with white limestone and the contrast of the ocher and pink bell tower against the blue sky is an unmistakable sign that you really are in Saint Tropez.
The center of the church is dominated by the marble altar with the patron of Saint Tropez on one side and Virgin Mother on the other. Don’t miss out on the statues and wood carvings dating back to 19th century and the beautiful organ at the bottom of the nave.
The bust of Saint Tropez is paraded through the streets annually during the famous Bravades, the most important cultural festival and local favorite. This tradition that is held every year from 16th to 18th of May and pays tribute to the Patron Saint of Saint Tropez. The whole town dresses in red and white and celebrates as any other French city, town or a village – through dancing, singing, eating and drinking.
Gallery Museum Annonciade
2 Rue de l’Annonciade – Place Grammont, 83990 Saint Tropez
Opening Hours:
1st June – 30th September 10.00 -12.00, 15.00 – 19.00
1st October – 31st May 10.00 – 12.00, 14.00 – 18.00
Closed : every Monday (opened 7/7 between 14th July and 30th September), whole month of November, 1st January, 1st May, 17th May, 25th December, Ascension Day,
Admission Fee : €6, under 12 years old free
Set in a beautiful 16th century chapel, the museum that was created in 1922 sits in the port of Saint Tropez and holds one of the most interesting and top range collections of works of Raoul Dufy, Henri Matisse, Georges Seurat, Maurice Denis, André Dunoyer De Segonzac and Paul Signac.
Paul Signac, French neo impressionist, discovered and shaped the history of the little fishing village of Saint Tropez in 1892 as he sailed around the coastline aboard his boat Olympia. Seduced by the place, landscape, colors and light, he bought a house there, La Hune, which he turned into a studio and invited there many famous painters.
The museum raises the fact that Saint Tropez was one of the most active center of pictorial avant-gardism of the early 20th century and the collections on display ranging between 1890 to 1950 surprise as much by their quality as by their homogeneity.
Provençal Market
Place de Lices, 83990 Saint Tropez
Market days are a way of life across the whole of France since early days. Farmers, craftsmen and shoppers gather together to buy and sell locally grown and made produce, to socialize and even to have a friendly argument. And even in a glamorous place such as Saint Tropez this tradition remains the same and for a very reasonable price.
The Provençal Market is happens in the town every Tuesday and Saturday from 8.00 till about 13.00, so do as locals do and try to head there as early as possible. You will find fresh produce such as vegetable, fruit, cheese, meat and fish around the main square, surrounded by food stalls, cheap clothes, household items, craft and souvenirs for the tourists.
La Grande Braderie de Saint Tropez is an event not to be missed if you are in the area late October. The boutiques and shops set up stalls with clothes and accessories on the streets for several days to sell them off at bargain prices. The atmosphere in the town is festive and friendly, for all the events and exact dates in Saint Tropez check www.sainttropeztourisme.com/en/events/.
Surrounding towns and villages have markets on following days :
Sainte Maxime – Thursday, Ramatuelle – Thursday and Saturday, Cogolin – Wednesday and Saturday, La Croix-Valmer – Sunday, Cavalaire sur Mer – Wednesday.
