Towns & Villages in Saint-Tropez

The island of Saint Honorat is the smaller of the two inhabited Lerins islands. Its main attraction is the monastery, a wonderful stone building well worth a visit.

A village clinging to a hill side, visible from afar, a cluster of houses that are grouped in a dense fortification. Known as a "village perché", it is a striking feature of the Provence landscape. Close to the Mediterranean sea, on the peninsula of St. Tropez, you find two such villages: Ramatuelle and Gassin.

A bustling little village that's worth stopping by.

At the beginning of the 20th century Saint Raphaël was a grand and glamorous resort that was sadly blitzed during the Second World War, destroying many of the Belle Époque buildings, so the atmosphere of the town is not exactly Saint Tropez.

Located on a steep hill, Gassin is known as one of "the most beautiful villages in France" and has an unrivalled panoramic view of the Golfe de St. Tropez.

Fréjus was the first naval base in the Mediterranean for the Romans back in the first century BC, with ruins including an amphitheatre, theatre and aqueduct.

Sheltered from the winds by hills that rise behind the coast, the popular beach resort of Sainte Maxime sits on the coast between Frejus and Saint Tropez.

In summer there is no better place to enjoy the lush flowers of the bougainvillea, plumbago or oleander than in the pretty village of Grimaud. Close to the Mediterranean sea on the first hilltop before the Massif des Maures, Grimaud sits there with a cocky attitude that says: we've been here for ages and that's the way it's going to be for centuries to come.

Just a 20-minute ferry ride from the peninsula of Hyères will take you to the different world of the island of Porquerolles. Its popularity is due to the many ways it pleases its visitors.

Collobrières is a pretty medieval village in the hills of the Massif des Maures.

Cogolin is a charming old village in the hills above Saint Tropez. There is also Port Cogolin which is a modern, purpose-built marina filled by beautiful boats.

The most glamorous town in the Var is undoubtedly Saint-Tropez. In early spring the tourists start to flock to this old fishing village to catch a glimpse of a movie star, shop at the beautiful boutiques, sip a pastis at one of the cafés on the port or just people watch and enjoy the towns flamboyant residents.

Enjoy the quiet life, sip a glass of rosé at a sidewalk café without going broke, and pick up your fresh baguette in the early morning without the strains of a long queue.

Le Lavandou is a pretty and unpretentious beach resort on 12km of coastline in the Var, situated midway between Saint Tropez and Toulon.

Port-Grimaud is a purpose built Venetian-style Provençal village that looks as if it has been there for centuries. In the sixties Alsatian-born architect François Spoerry bought a large piece of swamp by the coast and over four years created one of the most successful property developments in France.

If you're looking for a medieval village with fine sea views, plenty of flowers and fine dining restaurants on cobbled lanes, then Bormes les Mimosas is for you.

The gorgeous island of Saint Marguerite is the largest of the islands off the coast of Cannes. Regular ferries run from Cannes and only take around 15 minutes, yet this small island made up of a quiet pine forest and pretty coves feels far separated from the glitzy boutiques and hotels of Cannes.

La Croix-Valmer is a small town located in the hills above the coast, just to the west of Saint Tropez, to the side of the Maures mountains between Cavalaire-sur-Mer and Ramatuelle. Known for its vineyards the village has also remarkable natural heritage, a great asset for tourism.