Saint Tropez needs no introduction and is less than 15 minutes by car (unless the traffic is exceptionally heavy as it can be in high season or on market days when it takes a little longer), and there are so many different ways you can experience its unique atmosphere. 

For example, try an early morning stroll along the harbour and have breakfast at Senequier, taking in the atmosphere before everyone else arrives en masse (truly magical), or some people watching there with a glass of rose as the sun goes down as it is uniquely placed to experience the sunset.

The twice weekly market (Tuesdays and Saturdays) is definitely worth a visit, always busy so not for the faint-hearted - and the earlier the better as it is so popular.  Have a cup of coffee at Le Sporting in Place des Lices to fortify you before you start! St Tropez really is a still a fascinating place and has retained the air of the fishing village it once was, with its uneven pastel buildings and charming narrow streets.  There is always something catch your eye, from admiring the amazing  boats along the front or at the other end of the scale, catching a glimpse of locals playing chess by the water.

Pampelonne Beach is (20 minutes by car from the house). This famous stretch of beach lies west of Saint Tropez, with beautiful beach restaurants for all tastes.  At the heart lies Club 55, with its classic provencal setting and trademark blue and white interiors but there are many more including Nikki Beach, Moorea and at the far end La Cabane Bambou which is a wonderful blend of relaxed beach style and laid-back elegance.

La Croix Valmer is the nearest town, under 10 mins by car and brilliant for everyday food shopping, eating out in the evening, or why not book in to the stylish wine bar, La Grange, for its weekly live jazz music and tapas on a Friday, even in the winter, or visit the hugely popular Sunday market. It is a great place to pop into for all these things and many more, a great little town. The beaches are about 5-10 mins away from the town centre, the best known and largest of these is Gigaro, especially perfect for families and which has a great choice of restaurants and sunbeds.  My favourite is the little beach next door, La Cabane Mediterraneé, a welcoming beach restaurant - lunch only usually, with sunbeds and low tables to sit and admire the sea with a sundowner.

Gassin is under 10 minutes by car, this hilltop village is only just visible from the house as the trees have grown, and has tiny streets, a beautiful old church, and truly amazing views both towards St Tropez from the restaurants and looking towards Cavalaire-sur-Mer, from the other side. The terrace of restaurants is a pretty special place for lunch or dinner from Easter to the end of September usually.

Ramatuelle is another beautiful hilltop village (10 mins by car) with a lovely Thursday market, a maze of narrow streets and shops you can wander round before choosing one of the little restaurants dotted around for dinner or lunch.  Wonderful views down to the sea and Pampelonne from some of them.

Grimaud is another picture perfect hilltop village! really beautiful, with a castle you can climb up to and see for miles from and a small but stylish Thursday market, lovely shops, cafes and restaurants, great for a wander, enjoy the atmosphere and the view.

It is lovely to visit on a sunny morning for coffee and a wander round the shops or market or an evening visit for either drinks or dinner, the atmosphere is lively, buzzy and fun in high season.

Cavalaire sur Mer is a 20 minutes by car with some nice shops, restaurants and beaches, you can walk here from Debarquement Plage, just outside La Croix Valmer.  This takes about 30 minutes (there) on a long sandy beach, it is a great walk there and back.  

Debarquement plage is a 15 mins, has some really nice restaurants and bars, very relaxed atmosphere, it is easy to visit, park and just pop to for an evening stroll and a drink. Nautic beach restaurant is especially good and open year round, but there are now many others to try too.

Port Grimaud is not to be left out, this is under 10 minutes, quite busy, the ‘Little Venice’ of the area. This is lovely for a walk round or even a little trip out on the boats (departing regularly from the centre throughout the season, it is fun to admire all the amazing, charming waterside properties.  There is a wide range of restaurants from basic to higher end, my favourites are hidden just round the corner on the water front.

St Tropez Polo
The polo is situated within 5 minutes of the house.  This is a quite something to behold, recently expanded, it is such an impressive club, cleverly hidden in the umbrella pines with a restaurant and usually free access to watch matches when a tournament is on. If you love polo, you are in the right place!

Walks
There are many walks in the area, here are just a few:

One of my favourite walks is from the house itself. Just head up the hill behind the house through the woods.  At the top, you can see Grimaud and its castle, then turn right through the vineyards and you come to wonderful views towards Port Grimaud and down to the sea.  There is even a nice hotel if you turn right at the top and walk for about 10-15 minutes nestling amongst the umbrella pines. There are so many paths through the woods, some small and narrow but many are wider, meaning you can do endless different walks right on your doorstep.

Cap Lardier: Walk from the far end of Gigaro Beach on a coastal path with breathtaking views — I usually just do about half an hour to admire the tiny coves and then retrace, but you can do the big walk which required more planning and is a 5 mile round trip to Cap Lardier.

Cap Taillat: this walk is from L’Escalet Plage, near Ramatuelle and again, is a coastal path, a lovely natural walk with great views, about 30 minutes, an hour in all, lovely natural quite wild landscapes and views, you would never know how near to St Tropez you were.

Golf
Not to be left out, you have many choices, but the nearest is at Gassin Golf Country Club, only 5 minutes by car.

This is just a small sample of the wide choice of places to visit and things to do during your stay.