I avoided Saint-Tropez for years.
On my first French Riviera trip, I went to Nice. On the second, I explored Menton. Saint-Tropez kept getting pushed to the bottom of the list, always just a little too famous, a little too “bling bling”, a little too far from what I love about real France.
Then we finally went. And I realized I had been wrong.
Not completely wrong, though.
Saint-Tropez is expensive, and parking is a nightmare, and yes, the yachts are a bit much. But there is a real town behind all of that. Old streets, a beautiful citadel, a hidden viewpoint I want to keep for myself, a dolphin I spotted from the shore, and one of the best budget meals I’ve had on the entire French Riviera.
The secret, I found, is not just how you visit Saint-Tropez — it’s where you start.
At a glance
| Best base | Port Grimaud |
| Best transport | Boat from Port Grimaud |
| Budget level | Moderate — expensive |
| Time needed | Full day |
| Best season | May–June or September–October |
| Car needed? | Yes for Ramatuelle; optional otherwise |
I’m Ersilia – architect and travel lover
📍 Based in Toulouse, I’ve been uncovering castles, villages & hidden gems for years — and I share the ones I truly love.
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Before You Go: The Big Picture
If this is your first trip to the Riviera and you’re still planning, you might want to check out my French Riviera guide for first-timers before reading on.
Saint-Tropez is at the western end of the coast.
It feels like a different world from Nice and Menton—quieter in some ways, more exclusive in others.
To make the most of this part of the coast, I’d plan the day like this: start at Port Grimaud, take a boat to Saint-Tropez, and finish the afternoon in Ramatuelle. That’s what we did, and it worked out perfectly.
Where to stay for this trip?
You can stay in Cannes, Saint-Raphaël, or somewhere closer to Saint-Tropez, like Saint Maxime or Port Grimaud.
But I wouldn’t recommend making this trip from places like Nice, unless you come by boat.
Driving here from that area takes way too long, and I’m sorry, but it’s not worth it.
If you plan to stay in the area, I wrote about it in detail in the dedicated Saint Tropez guide.
Start at Port Grimaud — Not Saint-Tropez
I wish someone had told me this before my trip.
Port Grimaud is 10 minutes from Saint-Tropez by car, and almost nobody outside of France knows it properly.
It’s a town built on marshland in the 1960s by an architect named François Spoerry, inspired by Venice and Provence in equal measure. Every house has its own water access. Every street is a canal.
Since I’m interested in architecture, I was amazed by Port Grimaud. I hadn’t planned to stay long, but we ended up spending much more time there than we thought.
You have two ways to explore it on the water.
Option 1: Rent a small motorboat for about €25 for 30 minutes and steer through the canals yourself. The only catch is that you can only go in certain areas. You can rent the boat on site, no need to book in advance.
Option 2: Take a guided boat tour for €6 per person. It covers the whole route, includes commentary (you’ll see the architect’s house, which really stands out), and lasts about 30 minutes.
This is what we chose, and it’s definitely the better value. Also, no need to book it ahead.
Port Grimaud became my second favorite spot on the French Riviera, right after Menton. I’ll be sharing a full guide soon, but for now, plan to spend at least 1.5 to 2 hours here before heading to your next stop.
Get to Saint-Tropez by Boat
From the center of Port Grimaud, you can take a boat directly to Saint-Tropez. No driving, no parking stress, no traffic on the coastal road.
Cost: €17 per person for a round trip. Duration: about 30 minutes. What you’ll see: the whole gulf, lots of yachts, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a helicopter landing on one.
Leave your car in the Port Grimaud parking lot. We paid €25 for a full day (11am to 5pm). It might sound expensive, but parking in Saint-Tropez costs even more, and the traffic during the busy season is truly frustrating.
You can also reach Saint-Tropez by boat from Saint-Raphaël or Cannes, which makes it a good option if you’re based further east along the coast.
Watch my youtube video of this entire day
If you want more images of what this day looks like, watch my full vlog of our entire day. Then continue reading for the full details!
What to Do in Saint-Tropez
I wrote a full Saint-Tropez guide with everything worth seeing, including a hidden viewpoint near the citadel that I found completely by accident and haven’t seen mentioned anywhere.
For the day itself, here’s how I’d structure the afternoon.
Walk the port first. It’s the heart of the town and the best place to get your bearings. The yachts are absurd and beautiful at the same time. Enjoy it for what it is.
Then get into the old streets. Behind the port is where Saint-Tropez starts to feel like a real place — narrow alleys, faded façades, the smell of sunscreen replaced by something older.
The rue de la Ponche, the old fishermen’s quarter, leads you toward the sea with glimpses of blue at the end of every alley.
Finish at the Citadelle. Walk up to it for a fantastic view. From the bastions, you’ll see red rooftops on one side and the sparkling gulf on the other. It’s one of the best views on the Côte d’Azur.
Inside, there’s a maritime museum. My husband loved it; I thought it was decent. Either way, the walk is worth it just for the views.
Keep an eye on the water when you’re near the shore. I saw a dolphin jump from the citadel area. I was not prepared for that, and it was one of the highlights of the whole trip.
Where to Eat in Saint-Tropez Without Spending a Fortune
Saint-Tropez has a reputation for being outrageously expensive. In many places it is. But we found an exception.
Le Traiteur de l’Auberge des Maures is family-run, very simple, and feels more Italian than French. It’s self-service, with basic décor and nothing fancy about the setting.
I had stuffed aubergine and an onion salad with lentils, both made with real care. We ate well for two people for under €30, which is almost unheard of in Saint-Tropez.
Not for a special evening. Perfect for a real lunch.
End the Day in Ramatuelle
If you have time in the afternoon — and especially if you want dinner somewhere with real atmosphere — don’t skip Ramatuelle.
Ramatuelle is a hilltop village about 10 minutes from Saint-Tropez, with narrow, winding streets and views that reach all the way to the sea. Parking is at the bottom of the hill, so be ready for a short climb. It’s worth it.
For dinner, La Forge has a beautiful terrace overlooking the valley and excellent reviews, but there aren’t many tables, so it’s best to book ahead.
Next door, Jaïs Ramatuelle also has a lovely terrace, though the reviews are more mixed than the setting deserves.
I prefer eating in Ramatuelle over Saint-Tropez. It’s better value, more beautiful, and the evening light on the village is truly special.
Can You Do This Without a Car?
Yes, but there are some limitations.
If you’re staying in Nice or Cannes and don’t have a car, you can still get to Saint-Tropez and Port Grimaud by boat.
The easiest way from Nice is the Trans Côte d’Azur ferry, which leaves Quai Lunel at 9am, stops at Cannes and Île Sainte-Marguerite, and arrives in Saint-Tropez around 11:30am.
The return trip leaves at 4:30pm. The crossing takes about 2.5 hours each way, and it’s more than just transportation—it’s part of the experience. A round-trip ticket from Nice costs about €106 per person.
From Cannes, there’s a direct ferry that’s much faster, for around €88.
The truth is, without a car, you can’t get to Ramatuelle. It’s a hilltop village with no practical public transport. If you want to visit Ramatuelle, you’ll need a car for the day.
If you want a more organized option without a car that includes Port Grimaud, there are tours from Cannes that visit both places with a guide and include a boat crossing from Sainte-Maxime.
Groups are small (usually 8 to 16 people), it’s a full-day trip, and pickup from your hotel in Cannes is included. Prices start at about €125 per person.
Practical Tips
Parking: Port Grimaud — around €25 for a full day. Do not attempt to park in Saint-Tropez itself unless you arrive before 9am; expect €30+ and frustration.
When to go: Late spring and early autumn are ideal. July and August are very crowded and hot. The light in May and September is spectacular — and the town feels completely different without the peak-season crowds.
What to skip: Avoid the beach clubs unless you’ve budgeted for them—prices at Pampelonne are extremely high. Skip the port-side cafés for anything more than a coffee, and avoid any restaurant with a menu in six languages and photos of the food.
How long: A full day is enough for all three stops. Start at Port Grimaud around 10am, aim to be back at your car by 6pm.
Getting there: If you’re coming from the eastern Riviera, drive west toward Fréjus, then head south. You can also take the coastal boat from Saint-Raphaël. Avoid the direct road into Saint-Tropez during peak summer because the traffic is famously bad.
Last visited: May 2026.
Is Saint-Tropez Worth It?
I wondered about this for years before I finally visited, and honestly, it all depends on how you approach your trip.
If you come expecting a typical French coastal town, you’ll be surprised by the prices and the crowds. If you expect the legend—yachts, celebrities, and over-the-top glamour—you’ll probably find it a bit smaller and more ordinary than you imagined.
But if you visit the way I suggest—starting in Port Grimaud, taking the boat, exploring the old streets instead of the port boutiques, and eating at a family-run place instead of a terrace café—Saint-Tropez offers something most famous places don’t: the sense that behind the reputation, there’s something real.
It’s a town with real history, real beauty, and if you look closely, real quiet.
That’s worth a day of your trip.
More on This Corner of the Riviera
This post is part of a wider series I’m building on the western French Riviera — from Marseille and the Calanques along the coast through Cassis, La Ciotat, Saint-Raphaël, Fréjus, and the Estérel.
If you’re already exploring the eastern end of the coast, my guide to the French Riviera towns will help you choose where to base yourself. And if you want a quiet escape from the coast entirely, Tourrettes-sur-Loup is one of the most underrated villages in the whole region.
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