St.-Tropez: Introduction: Why Go Now

Over the years, St.-Tropez’s reputation for hedonism has attracted a stream of international pleasure seekers, but anyone who has visited during the off-season knows that the wildly extravagant lifestyle isn’t all there is to discover. These days, St.-Tropez is keen on reinventing itself, as shown in the opening of luxurious but small contemporary-style hotels and refined fusion restaurants that continue to spring up each year. I’ve watched the change over the past five years, in keeping with a new wave of visitors arriving on the scene. Young sophisticates and forty-something professionals come here with the knowledge that St.-Tropez is no longer just a playground for the rich and famous.

Of course, swilling Champagne on the beach and frenetic nightclubbing are still alive and well—and, yes, Pamela Anderson chose St.-Tropez last summer for her glitzy wedding celebration. But this place is what you make of it: you can wake up early to the shimmering light, surrounded by the same colors that drew artists like Signac and Henri Matisse; hike on coastal trails, jog along the beach or bike by vineyards on small country roads; buy a straw basket in the market and pack a picnic for a movable feast—you’ll find fresh goat cheese, juicy vine tomatoes, olives and local wines every Tuesday and Saturday morning at the Place des Lices.