Nightlife Previews & Reviews in Saint-Tropez

In Saint Tropez at Christmas time you’ll find mulled wine and fireworks, an ice-skating rink and chocolate fair, and streets hung with twinkling lights. Dine at cosy restaurants with stone cave walls and open fires, go to Midnight Mass in the local church, or listen to live music spilling out over a busy square, coloured lights reflecting off the cobblestones.

Perhaps you’ll see a famous resident or two, wandering along the seafront in a fur coat on a blustery day, masts of the gathered sailboats rocking in the port. When the sun shines (as it so often does in the southern winter), a Saint Tropez beach club is a great place to be over the Xmas break.

When New Year’s beckons, the town gathers for a celebration- New Year is called La Réveillon in French, so watch out for any advertised events with this name. While New Year’s Eve is brought in with fireworks and parties, the French traditionally celebrate New Year’s Day with a feast, so you’ll also find some elaborate dining events at the local restaurants on the first of January.

Saint Tropez is putting on an action-packed schedule of events over the festive season. (See the official town guide here- French version only .) Here’s our guide to the top things to do over Christmas and New Year in Saint Tropez.

December in Saint Tropez

Xmas Lights, 4th Dec-3rd Jan : The Xmas lights are switched on in a ceremony in Place des Lice on the 4th of December. Not just your traditional Xmas lights, the pastel-coloured buildings along the waterfront are also bathed in coloured lights from projections, making a spectacular sight. Ice skating, 4th Dec-3rd of Jan: The ice skating rink will also open on the 4th of December, so you can get out there and have a few twirls (or crashes, depending on your personal level of clumsiness). You can always warm up afterwards with a hot chocolate or a gooey Nutella crepe from one of the stalls. There’ll also be some fantastic figure skating performances, an ice hockey game, and even a game of petanque (boules) on ice on the 12th and 13th. (2 euro entry, open Mon-Friday 16:30h-20:30, Sat&Sun and Xmas week 14:00-20:00.) Igloos and a luge, 4th Dec-3rd Jan: This year there will be an Arctic-themed Xmas display for kids, with lighted igloos and a luge. The Xmas Train, 4th December-3rd Jan: All aboard, for a tour of Saint Tropez on the little Xmas train. The train leaves twice-daily, at 15:00 and 20:00. On the 24th, a certain man with a white beard and a red suit will be riding this train. Santa’s Grotto, 4th Dec-3rd Jan: In Place des Lices, you’ll also find Santa’s Grotto and a traditional Provencal nativity scene. DJ Free event , 12th Dec: DJ ‘Moon Boots’ will be playing at an event in Place des Lices. Organised by Live Nation, the event will run from 6pm until 10pm. (Free entry) Theatre Festival (French): For French speakers, there is a theatre festival running on five dates throughout December at Cinema-Theatre de Renaissance. See this program for details of screenings. (Free entry) Comedy Festival (French): Also for French speakers, 2015 offers the first edition of the Saint Tropez ‘Festival de Rire’, held at Cinéma-Théâtre La Renaissance in Place des Lices. There will be four performances running on the 22nd 23rd, 29th and 30th, with performances for children on both Wednesdays at 4:00 pm. (Paid entry) Disney Festival (French ): There’s a Disney festival running throughout December, with showings of 101 Dalmations (9th Dec), Mulan (16th) Beauty and the Beast (21st) and the Lion King (28th). Warn the kids: these will be in French! (Paid entry) Exhibitions: A Japanese art exhibition will run from the 12th of December to the 3rd of January at the renowned Butterfly Museum ‘La Maison de Papillion’, as well as a Henry Person exhibition at the Museum Annonciade. (Both events are paid entry). For the kids, there’s also a ‘Secrets of Dinosaurs’ Exposition from the 4th of December to the 2nd of Jan (Free entry, in French.) The Chocolate Fair , 19-21st December: There is a Christmas-themed chocolate and sweets fair (Salon du Chocolat et des Douceurs) held over three days in Salle Jean-Despas. This is perfect opportunity to stock up on presents and stocking fillers, as well as try a few Tropezienne specialities. La Pastorale (French), 20th December: This Tropezienne tradition of song, comedy and performance has been running since the 1950s and is a big favourite with the locals. La Pastorale will be performed at Cinema-Theatre La Renaissance at 15:00. Climbing Wall, 21 Dec-3rd Jan: There will be an 8-metre climbing wall installed next to the ice skating rink for the use of adults and children over 8 years. (Free entry, open 14:00-20:00) Beach Clubs over Xmas and New Years: You may not normally equate Christmas with beach clubs , but there are few nicer things to do on a sunny winter’s day than head down to the huge stretch of white sand at Pampellonne Beach for a spot of lunch at one of the iconic Saint Tropez beach clubs. Glass of rose in hand, warm sunshine glinting off the wintry sea, a seafood feast before you- the frosts and snows of home will seem a very long way away indeed. Only a very few of the Saint Tropez beach clubs remain open over winter and their opening times vary, so make sure you call ahead. La Plage des Jumeaux is one that does- and is a great choice for kids as it has a playground and a very reasonable kid’s lunch menu. Tabou Beach or Key West are two more options- or you could mingle with the jet-set at atmospheric (and atmospherically expensive) Club 55 , which opens up on December 18 specially for Christmas-New Years. Uber-famous party venue Nikki Beach is also staying open this year over Xmas for the very first time, so if you feel like some DJ beats in a chilled atmosphere, then this is your best bet. It will be open Thursday through Sunday, and is putting on a fairly ritzy Sunday brunch each week.

Christmas Eve

Santa Claus is here ! The man of the moment will arrive with a big bag of soft toys to give away down at Suffren Quay in the port at 6pm December 24th. This is Saint Tropez, so of course he will arrive by boat! Midnight Mass and Nativity Scene: The Rampeu Choir will sing carols at the Eglise Paroissiale, and there will be an old Provencal nativity scene. Starts at 23:30.

Boxing Day

Ballet, 26th Dec : There will be a ‘retransmission’ of Swan Lake at the Cinema Theatre de Renaissance at 16:00 on Boxing Day. (Paid entry) Christmas Concert, 26th Dec: Traditional singing group Bàrri Noù are performing a Christmas Concert in the Convent Chapel (Chapelle du Couvent) on Saturday, 26th December at 6.30pm. (Free entry) Antiques Fair, 27th-2nd Jan: The antiques fair is held in Salle Jean-Despas, and offers great post-Xmas bargains and a happy atmosphere. Organ music concert, 27th Dec: Christian Mendoze and Corinne Betirac will be performing organ music in the Eglise Paroissiale at 5pm. (free entry)

New Year’s Eve in Saint Tropez

L’Anchoide: In Saint Tropez, New Year’s Eve happens down at the port. During the day, join the locals around long trestle tables set up on the waterfront for their famous anchoide- anchovy dip served with crusty bread and an aperitif. This event has a wonderfully local feel to it- one that is almost entirely missing during the summer months. Yet another reason to visit Saint Tropez at Christmas-time!

Evening Drinks and Dinner: As night falls, people gather at the pavement cafes lining the port and in Place des Lices, listening to live music and indulging in Provencal food and wine. Le Bistro and Brasserie des Arts come highly recommended for NYE. Some restaurants will have ‘Reveillon’ menus and themed parties happening, such as Hotel de Paris’ glamorous dinner at Café de Suffren followed by a DJ event at the Atrium Bar .

Midnight: When midnight strikes, many people gather down in the port to watch the fireworks light up the sky above the yachts and the distant mountains across the Gulf de Saint Tropez.

After Midnight : For dancing until the wee hours, Bar du Port is a great choice. It’s actually one of the only choices- the famous clubs of Saint Tropez are closed over winter, which is a bit of a shame.

Midnight Swim, anyone? If you’re mad enough, head to the nearby town of Saint Maxime for midnight, where you’re welcome to join the other insane people in a group swim at the beach.

New Year’s Day Didn’t swim on New Year’s Eve? All is not lost. On New Year’s Day, the brave among you can head to nearby Saint Raphael , where hordes plunge into the icy water for the traditional New Year’s Day Swim. Afterwards, head to one of the restaurants offering a New Year’s Day lunch menu-it’s a very cheerful affair of family and friends, and the atmosphere tends to be fantastic.

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