Are you interested in staying connected during your Saint-Tropez holiday?
Do they have wifi? Will my villa have a high speed internet connection? How reliable are the internet service providers where I’m going? These are the most common questions we ask ourselves before travelling.
We understand how important it is to stay connected during your holiday in Saint-Tropez. Whether it be attending an important video conference or cozying up with the family for an evening film, there is nothing worse than watching your phone or computer screen read ‘No Internet Connection Detected’.
Why do people choose Saint-Tropez? Saint Tropez sits among the most prestigious and exclusive villages in the world. With its permanent residents counting to more than 4,500, it welcomes a staggering 6 million visitors per year and 30,000 per day in the summer months on renowned Pampelonne Beach! As home to some of the most celebrated events and people, Saint-Tropez has earned its place with A-listers as the go-to summer destination.
The glitz and glamour of this internationally renowned village has unfortunately not affected its connection however to the wonderful world of wifi. In many ways, Saint-Tropez remains a small French village when it comes to high speed internet. The internet network is adapted to the few permanent residents of the village and not to the influx of tourists which visit it every year. It is then no surprise that Saint-Tropez is famous for its Wifi ‘system crashes’ in peak summer season, leaving guests disappointed with the slow and sometimes inexistent broadband.
Let’s talk statistics about internet in Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez is positioned in 3,341st place in a pool of 4,326 French villages when it comes to its ADSL internet accessibility. Fibre optic internet was only introduced to this village in 2015, which only 3.3% of residents (or Tropéziens) were able to access and in 2020 only 27.1% of Tropéziens were able to access high speed internet connection of 30mbps. There is always light however at the end of every buffering icon! Are you ready for the good news?
The Saint-Tropez Government heard the cries of residents and tourists alike in 2018 and began a five year initiative to renew and improve the fibre optic internet infrastructure in Saint-Tropez. At the end of this initiative which is planned for completion in 2023, approximately 77,000 high speed internet connections will be available and secured in Saint-Tropez! Part of this initiative is dedicated to the area of Ramatuelle which will modernise its system of copper wiring with French internet provider Orange to improve the immediate connection and prepare for the upcoming fibre optic connection.
It is safe to say that most Saint-Tropez villas have wifi or some type of Wifi connection. The exact location of the property however will greatly affect the type and speed of connection you will have.
In the prestigious Les Parcs domain for instance, guests can expect up to 100mbps thanks to their fiber optic connection while other areas such as Ramatuelle and Pampelonne will only have 8-30 mbps and do not have access to fiber optic internet. It has been estimated that 28% of homes in Ramatuelle have difficulty accessing the internet and only 15% of homes in this area have successful access to high speed internet.
What kind of internet connection should you expect at your villa rental?
It is safe to say that most luxury villa rentals now have access to some type of Wifi connection. The exact location of the property however will greatly affect the type and speed of connection you will have.
In the prestigious Les Parcs domain for instance, guests can expect up to 100mbps thanks to their fiber optic connection while other areas such as Ramatuelle and Pampelonne will only have 8-30 mbps and do not have access to fiber optic internet. It has been estimated that 28% of homes in Ramatuelle have difficulty accessing the internet and only 15% of homes in this area have successful access to high speed internet.
Villas which do not specify high speed internet will have a connection which affects 63.6% of Saint Tropez residents which is between 8-30mbps.
What internet connection can we expect in villas without fiber optic?
Villas which do not specify high speed internet will have a connection which affects 63.6% of Saint Tropez residents which is between 8-30mbps.
What qualifies as a high speed internet?
A 25 Mbps minimum download speed qualifies as high-speed internet. This means being able to watch Netflix smoothly without buffering for example.
What villas for rent have access to fiber optic internet?
Below is a hand-picked selection of Saint-Tropez villas with wifi which have access to high speed internet. All of them are located in the prestigious domain Les Parcs in Saint-Tropez. This domain was the first to facilitate fiber optic for its residents. One can expect all newly built villas for rent in Les Parcs de Saint-Tropez to have fiber optic. For those which were built some years ago it is best to check before arriving. Guests coming to this domain for holiday can also request the owner install fiber before they arrive.
Water’s Edge: one of our top picks, this villa is located in a private gated domain, Les Parcs de Saint Tropez. This villa for rent has direct sea access and provides a spectacular sea view
Felicia: adjacent to the residence of Brigitte Bardot, this villa is located in an extremely private residential area of St Tropez. Tucked away on a quiet, private cul-de-sac, the other side of the peninsula from the popular Pampelonne Beach, this magnificent villa is a moment’s stroll from the endearing waters of the picturesque Baie de Canebier.
Paloma: is a 420 m2 neo-provencal villa situated in Les Parcs de St Tropez and provides breathtaking sea views.
Agape: an enchanting newly built villa located in the exclusive domain of Les Parcs de Saint Tropez. This getaway villa is ideally situated only 100m from the local beach and is a 5-minute drive from St Tropez center.
Shouldn’t ALL villas in Saint Tropez have internet access?
It is important to remember that 100% of our villas are equipped with Wifi, the underlying issue however is the weakness of the overall broadband of Saint-Tropez and its inability to keep up with the high demand of internet users during peak season. If you find yourself in the situation of arriving at your destination villa and realise it does not have a functioning internet, do not worry, all hope is not lost. As a last resort, there is always the option of purchasing an ‘Airbox’ which offers a 4G connection from the local internet provider Orange.
Regardless of the slow and dubious internet, Saint-Tropez is definitely not a destination where one feels the need to be attached to their phone or computer. In fact many guests use the weak internet connection as the perfect excuse to enjoy the full extent of their getaway! Indulging in the fantastic restaurant selection and full days and nights lounging at exclusive beach clubs, soaking in the golden sun of Saint-Tropez.
If guests require a strong and reliable internet connection however, please let us know prior to your arrival and we will send you a tailored list of villas to choose from which are sure to have a strong connection. We will check the internet speed for you, send our technician to ensure it is secure, fast and reliable. If necessary, we can even purchase in advance an Airbox and have it installed in time for your arrival so there is no hassle, just connection!
How can we help?
If guests require a strong and reliable internet connection however, please let us know prior to your arrival and we will send you a tailored list of villas to choose from which are sure to have a strong connection. We will check the internet speed for you, send our technician to ensure it is secure, fast and reliable. If necessary, we can even purchase in advance an Airbox and have it installed in time for your arrival so there is no hassle, just connection!
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