An insider's guide to St Tropez: Where to stay, shop and eat

What to know when shopping and eating like a local at the famous seaside resort

The garden at the La Bastide de St Tropez hotel in St Tropez, France. Photo Sarah Maisey

St Tropez is famous for Brigitte Bardot, sailing and for being a playground for the rich, and all with good reason.

Bardot made the coastal town on the French Riviera famous when she danced barefoot in the 1956 film And God Created Woman. Its location on the Mediterranean Sea in south-east France means it has since evolved into a place of refinement and sophistication, without losing any of its authentic charm.

Thousands flock there each summer to take in its excellent cuisine, turquoise blue waters and sunny climate, while billionaires anchor their superyachts offshore. It is a place where elegant stores rub shoulders with the traditional fish market, and where people dress to be seen as much as to play boulle.

Where to stay

La Bastide de St Tropez hotel has a central garden and swimming pool. Photo: Sarah Maisey

A short drive from the port is La Bastide de St Tropez, a delightful five-star hotel formed from a small château and four farmhouses, brought together around a central garden and swimming pool.

Fringed with tall Cypress trees and palms, the garden provides a tranquil space filled with birdsong and is a haven from the bustle of the small town, which can get very crowded during the summer.

The restored farmhouses now have 26 rooms and suites, each individually appointed and with either a private balcony or terrace that all face into the garden. There is an excellent restaurant called Route Des Carles, while breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the pool.

Where to eat

The most famous venue in St Tropez is probably Cafe Senequier, with its prime position on the harbour and its bright red canopy. Its fame also means it is crowded all the time and it is hard to get a table, but other places one street back from the water can serve up a better authentic experience.

Le Cafe Restaurant, situated on the central square of Place des Lices, is one of the town's gems. An eclectic space with its own piano bar and terrace, it serves contemporary and Provencal cuisine, including leek and egg mimosa, traditional pate en croute, as well as oven-baked mussels with parsley.

The interior is mismatched to perfection, with oversized rattan lampshades, clusters of vintage table lamps and chairs piled with clashing cushions. Once done with lunch, a game of boules in the square is a good option.

Le Cafe Saint Tropez. Photo: Le Cafe Saint Tropez

Set halfway up a hill on Avenue du Marechal Foch is La Ponche, a restaurant and hotel made famous by French writer Colette.

Overlooking the sea, the restaurant is run by chef Thomas Danigo, formerly of Galanga par Monsieur George in Paris, and specialises in transforming local, seasonal fish and vegetables into Mediterranean cuisine. The menu includes ceviche of sea bream, green zucchini gazpacho, bush tartlet with Provencal herbs and citrus fruits, and coriander-basil sorbet.

For a more laid-back lunch, Chemin de l’Epi is only a 12-minute drive and La Reserve à la Plage is set right on the beach. It has an interior designed by French designer Philippe Starck. Chef Nicolas Cantrel serves up Riviera-inspired cuisine such as Peruvian style avocado guacamole, tuna carpaccio and grilled octopus with sweet potatoes and spicy mayonnaise.

Also located out of town is Chez Camille Restaurant. It sits overlooking the beach in Ramatuelle, on Traverse de la Garonne. Founded in 1913, the seafood restaurant looks out on to a cove and feels intimate.

Where to shop

The town is overflowing with chic boutiques, including Loro Piana, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Jacquemus and Lebanese designer Elie Saab among others, while every Saturday and Tuesday the central square turns into one of the best markets in the region. Bargains can be had on linen shirts, embroidered shopping totes, and even essentials such as children's swimwear, from as little as €10 (Dh39).

Rondini, meanwhile, has been hand-making leather sandals in St Tropez since 1927. It is something of an institution, with one style, the Tropezienne, even named after the seaside port. Situated on Rue Georges-Clemenceau, it offers various styles of flats for men, women and children starting at €100 (Dh394).