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Need advice on St. Tropez

We'd like to get people's positive impressions & experiences of St Tropez. Also any great cafes/restaurants/hotels in any range. My wife & I will be landing in Nice on Oct 1 and staying in Cannes for 3 nights then head to St. Tropez for a couple of days max. We've been to Cote d'Azur in 94 & 98 but have always skipped St. Tropez due to crowd & access. I haven't had any luck reserving a good room in St Tropez or nearby and am cosidering driving in & out of Cannes to St. Tropez. This is a special trip for us because we're not bringing our kids this time.

Topping for any help! Thanks.

Greg, you shouldn't worry about not finding a place to stay in St. Tropez in October. This is off season which means lesser tourists and more hotel rooms. I cannot recommend restaurants but do get a few drinks at the famous bars in the vieux port.Le Senequier and Le Gorille are among the old timers in St. Tropez. I would not recommend driving daily from Cannes to St. Tropez. You will be wasting too much time on the road back and forth. Try to get a hotel room in St. Tropez or stay in Ramatuelle nearby. I am certain you will find rooms without a reservation. John

When in that area we like to stay at the Chateau Valmer, located a little west of San Tropez in La Croix Valmer.

Try "Le Mouillage". New, small, clean,10 min walk to town. www.hotelmouillage.fr Unfortunately the English version is not working. Rate for a double room up to Oct 9 is 125 Euro.

Greg and wife: You might wish to read Danielle Steel's newest novel---Sunset in St.Tropez before you go. Just for the fun of it--easy read.

Thanks for all your input! I will remember to stop at Le Senequier or La Gorille in the vieux port. Le Mouilage, now that's a new hotel I would never find in the guidebooks. I can understand their French website. We prefer staying in town so Chateau Valmer may not be what we are looking for. I'm sure my wife will appreciate reading Dannielle Steele's novel. Anyone else has specific experiences or places in St Tropez?

Café des Arts at Place des Lices is one of the good old bar/restaurants. Have you checked out following website: http://www.ot-saint-tropez.com/Offic...s/Accueila.htm

There is a wonderful art museum in St Tropez; sorry, I forget the name but it shouldn't be hard to find. The exceptional thing about it was that the paintings captured the light and colors of the area so magnificently. Definitely worth a stop.

Greg, I really enjoyed St Tropez off-season ( I visited one March). It has an old fishing village quality to it that's gone in the summer. Agree with art museum suggestion. Also, there is a good article on St Tropez in the August issue of Town and Country. Enjoy it

Thanks Myriam. I've read about the classic Cafe des Arts, I'm glad that you also recommend it after being there in person. Jen & Michelle, I assume it is Musee de l'Annonciade, thanks. I hope early October is off season enough to enjoy St Tropez as a fishing village.

Greg-- tell your wife to pack an extra suitcase for purchases-ST.Tropez has the BEST shoe shops in the world and the prices are reasonable...... Also, right at the waterside in town, there are usually artists set up setting their paintings-all originals-lots of the artists come down from Paris-Since the weather will still be good in Oct,they may still be setting up there-We got some great small watercolors there for pennies!! Don't miss that area of St.Tropez-right where the sailboats dock....

Thanks Andy, I know my wife's secret delight in going into Cannes & Avignon is getting bargains on French leather goods. Now she can add St Tropez to her list.

Consider Aiguebelle about 20 mins west of St. T. Studding little bay...I recommend Les Alcyons run by Mme Podda..........Clean B & B for £45 per night for double room with breakfast. Many other good restaurants for main meals. Difficult to get into BOOK>.... Look under Le Lavandou in Michelin

Greg, I really loved St. Tropez even in July. Despite its rich and famous rep, the back streets had a very authentic feel, including lively morning fish/produce market, and I enjoyed the walk up to the Citadelle with its maritime museum, also liked drinks at the Cafe des Arts on Place des Lices (locals playing petanque and Sat market), the Musee l' Annonciade was superb (Matisee, Signac, Dufy, etc.) Even at Le Senequier, the "place to be seen", still plenty of locals sitting in the back rows (but int. models to and fro their mega-yachts, which made people watching fascinating). Had lunch at the Bistro des Lices. Found great shopping for ceramics (Potier Augier), olive oil products (O & co.), sandals (Rondini) on Rue Georges-Clemenceau, dried lavender and flowers (Le Jardin de Marie) and white porcelaine plus a branch of Souleiado. Although I slept on a boat, I did peek into a few hotels in town for another visit (but not ones outside that I'll never afford-super lux R&C la Pinede, Chateau Messardiere, Bastide and Villa Bellrose in Gassin). The wildly painted Byblos (Leading Hotels of the World) looked very movie industry trendy (celeb filled with a branch of "Spoon" and hottest nightclub, Les Caves du Roy-40 euro whiskeys, so was told), the manor house Maison Blanche on the Places des Lices has just been completely revamped -cutting edge-lots of chrome, silver and white. www.hotellamaisonblanche.com But I was charmed by 4 star La Ponche, tucked away in the atmospheric Old Quarter on tiny, pebbly beach of the same name. The lovely proprietess, whose ex- husband's art decorates the walls, showed me Romy Schneider's favorite top floor "Blue" rm with private terrace, the most requested. Very romantic, charming, fairly affordable off-season, also nice dining on terrace (www.laponche.com). I shall stay there some day! In the summer there's hr. boat service btw St.Tropez-Ste. Maxime, but don't know about Oct.-probably not. Everyone advised not to try to "commute" from Cannes-too far. Check the July Travel & Leisure for another St. Tropez report.

Thanks Maribel for your great recommendations. Unfortunately, I've called all the hotels in the St Tropez area but couldn't get a room because of a sailboat race going on during the first week of October. I am now considering staying west of St Tropez as Jane & Ron had recommended. Is there anyone who had stayed in an attractive little town west of St Tropez? We are hoping for a town that has its own charm as a destination instead of just a place to spend the night. Thanks everyone!

Greg, Some 20 yrs ago we stayed in La Croix Valmer, which is close to the famous St. Trop beaches and some 8 km from La Môle (city centre). On the other side of St. Tropez in the direction of Cannes, also some 8 km) you have the really beautiful towns of Grimaud and Port Grimaud. Grimaud is the old part of the city, Port Grimaud is fairly new and built almost in the water, with small canals everywhere. Have a look at the website: http://www.grimaud-provence.com/

Looking at my map I also thought about Gassin. It's very small, in the hills above St. Tropez.

Greg, Have you tried Hotel Ferme' Augustin in Ramatuelle. It is just a short 2 miles over the hill from downtown St. Tropez, next to Tahiti Beach. Also, be sure to try Sube' Hotel in town. Regards, Vic Noir

Gassin is a very pretty little hill town and well worth visiting. Nice views from there too.