Sights in Saint-Tropez

The Massif des Maures lies above the coast to the west of Saint-Tropez and continues on to Hyères. Although the Massif is not a designated Natural Park (as opposed to the Plaine des Maures, which is) the area is sparsely populated because of the rugged landscape.

Established in 1971, the Zoological Park Frejus is located in a typical Mediterranean natural landscape and enjoys the mild climate of the Riviera.

The Annonciade museum was created in 1922 and holds impressive art work dating from 1890 to 1950, including some of the greatest French masterminds such as Matisse, Derain and Marquet.

Recently renovated, this modern museum is located in the dungeon of the village's Citadel, allowing visitors to discover the true identity of Saint-Tropez as a maritime city through its last 500 years of history.

Huddled up against the green hills of the village of Gassin, the beautiful private garden of Marie-Thérèse L’Hardy, a botanical fanatic, is quite surprising. Hidden from the heat, this garden is a paradise to wander around.

The Butterfly Museum is located in the old town, spread across two floors, the collection houses an enormous quantity of different species. There are over 35,000 specimens, including rare types from Africa and South America. 

Located on the island of Saint Honorat, the abbey is still occupied by monks. It's possible to receive a guided tour and re-charge your spiritual batteries.

Situated within the Royal Fort on Ile Sainte-Marguerite in the Bay of Cannes, this museum is a place not only of learning but also of rich history.

Situated right next to the cloisters of the Cathedral in Fréjus, the museum houses some great examples of Roman artefacts from the ongoing excavations in the city.

This wonderful botanical gardens, dating from the early 20th century, are located in Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer. They are a great place to spend a day outdoors, with a cafe, a bookshop and lots of exhibitions and guided tours to discover the secrets of Mediterranean floral species.

Covered by a dense forest of pine and oak trees clinging to the rough granite rocks sculpted by the elements, the tip of the cap supports one of the tallest lighthouses in France relative to sea level (129.8m).

As you climb uphill past all the restaurant lined streets, you get to the impressive 17th century Citadel overlooking the village of Saint-Tropez.

A great place to go for a walk under the shadows of the 100-year old plane trees, it seems like time has stopped at the Place des Lices. Here you can still watch the locals play a game of boules every morning, before going for a Pastis at the time of apéritif.

This beautiful church was built as part of the plans by Mayor Felix Martin to "transform" St Raphael into a more attractive town for people to live in and tourist resort. Abbot Bernard commissioned the project to architect Pierre Aublé.

La Plaine des Maures is the first natural park in the Var department, to the north west of Saint Tropez. It is renowned for it's umbrella pines and cork oak trees, and is rich in fauna and flora.

Dating back to the 5th century when the baptistery was built makes it the oldest in the Provence region and one of the oldest in France. At this ancient, Merovingian style baptistery you can still see a 5th century baptismal basin for full immersion, as well as Roman columns.

Facing the Saint-Tropez bay, this is a truly airy park perfect for a relaxed stroll. The visitors will discover nearly sixty acclimatised plants such as centenary palm trees and many typical Mediterranean species like cypress and pine trees.

As a result of being a coastal town and needing to protect itself from attack, St-Tropez became well-fortified early on in its history. You can now visit three towers scattered across the city's coastline.