On the south side of the bay of Saint-Tropez, at the promontory that separates it from the Bay of Canebier, there is an old fishing harbor of the same name. The city is world-famous for its distinctive character. The mere mention of Saint-Tropez brings to mind clichéd illustrated magazines with views of yachts, beaches and, of course, the Fountain Festival and the parade of the world’s most famous people.
For half a century, Saint-Tropez has been considered the most fashionable resort on the Côte d’Azur. Despite this, the small town has managed to retain its character and charm, especially if you visit it at a quieter time, when there is no influx of tourists.
Saint-Tropez has stood on this spot for centuries. Legend has it that the city takes its name from a Roman centurion, a martyr who converted to Christianity. He was beheaded and his body was thrown into a boat, along with a rooster and a dog. The city was founded in the place where the boat was washed ashore. History of St Tropez The history of Saint-Tropez is an eventful one and the people of Saint-Tropez are very brave and active. This is what Guy de Maupassant wrote about the town: «We are in a seaside land, a small town steeped in salt and famous for its courage. He fought against the Duke of Anjou, against the wild sea robbers and the Connetable of Bourbon, against Charles the Fifth, the Duke of Savoy and the Duke of Epernon. In 1637 its citizens, the ancestors of the peace-loving inhabitants of the modern city, repelled without any help the attack of the Spanish fleet. In 1813, too, an attack by a British squadron sent to capture the city was repulsed.» Such is the story told in a few words of the city, which even in our time continues to fight off the hordes of handsome and tanned conquerors. To meet their demands, the city had to rebuild itself and, in particular, to create a new port and a capacious parking lot. This was not to the detriment of the city’s jealously guarded beauty and charm. You only have to look at the ballplayers under the shade of the sycamores of Fox Square or stroll through the tangle of streets of the old town to see this for yourself. They climb steeply up the hillside, emerge here and there into tiny squares, form covered passages, and are intersected by city gates and towers.
The harbor is the real center of city life. Here, on the promenade, named after Suffren, is a bronze monument to this celebrated French navigator. Pierre-André de Suffren of Saint-Tropez was born in 1729 in Saint-Cannes near Aix. The house in which he lived with his family in Saint-Tropez still stands on Town Hall Square. Suffren received the title of baïs in the Order of Malta, then served in the Royal Navy, fought in the American Civil War, became famous in India, speaking against the British, and in 1788 during the fighting he went missing. Suffren’s quay continues on the Quai Jean Jaurès, where it is worth lingering for a moment on the terrace of the Senequier tea parlor. The houses in the town used to be at sea level, and there were boathouses for boats near the houses.
Not far from the port is the Annonciade Museum, located in the ancient Chapelle de l’Annonciade (Chapelle of l’Annonciade). The church building was converted into a museum at the expense of philanthropist Georges Grammont, who gave the museum an interesting collection of paintings and sculptures of the late 19th — early 20th centuries. Among the authors of paintings are such famous names as Signac, Derain, Marquet, Matisse, Bonnard, Braque.
Rue de la Misericorde is one of the most colorful in the old town. It overlooks the square of the Citadel, a high watchtower, which has been guarding this bustling city for more than 4 centuries. Construction of the Citadel began in 1593 and ended in 1607 with the erection of a watchtower, which since 1958 is occupied by the Naval Museum. The museum tells the history of the city, most of the exhibits are taken from the Chaillot Museum. The top of the Citadel affords an exceptional panoramic view of the port, the bay and the Maure and Esterel mountains.
On the road to Ramatuelle, on top of a volcanic hill is the beautiful 17th century chapel of St. Anne. The walls of the church building are covered with numerous ex-votos addresses to God. From here you have a wonderful view of the bay and Saint-Tropez.
Gassin and Ramatuelle are the mountain villages of the peninsula, which are located on the road to Saint-Tropez. The ancient winding streets, the facades of the houses decorated with flowers, the narrow covered passages with vaults are living testimonies to the elusive charm of the old towns of Provence.
