Saint Tropez is famous for its highly exclusive and luxurious beach clubs, some of which have been around longer than many of its residents – and certainly us.
For example, the legendary Tahiti Beach Club opened on Pampelonne Beach in 1946, with celebrities favourite Club 55 being established a short distance away on the same stretch of sand some nine years later – in 1955.
And as much as we love the old institutions of Saint Tropez, it is always very exciting when new places open up.
When thinking about beaches in St Tropez, France, the mind tends to naturally gravitate towards Pampelonne beach for all its fame and glamour. However, an equally beautiful beach in perhaps an even more prestigious location is La Bouillabaisse beach, only 1.5km from St Tropez town centre. [Read more…]
Just so you won’t get lost at the wrong places our St Tropez House team in Saint Tropez have put together a great list of places-to-be when you are in Saint Tropez this summer-time. We are also putting together an off season Saint Tropez Guide. Also if you have any suggestions please use the comments below.
Villa Calliope, Ramatuelle
For your perfect vacations in St Tropez choose one of the villas on www.sttropezhouse.com, and once decided to follow our list, reserve places in restaurants and bars with www.st-tropez-beach.com.
If it’s an all-over suntan, total self-acceptance, or for just a quick skinny dip with a friend, a nudist beach might be what you are looking for this coming summer. Why go nudist?
Read about the top 4 naked beaches in Saint Tropez
Here are the 10 top reasons why people generally go nudist:
Saint Tropez on the French Riviera hosts many naturist beaches with locals, and other sun lovers heading down to get naked on a daily basis. The French have a real attitude of ‘each to their own’ so ‘textiles’ are not anti-nudist and you don’t have to worry about baring all in the right places. Here are the best nudist beaches in Saint Tropez if not on the whole South French coast.
Pampelonne Nudist Beach
If you are aiming for mass social nudism, there is an expansive nudist beach and active naturist community in the centre of Saint Tropez’s famous Pampelonne Beach in Ramatuelle. The main ‘clothing-optional’ beach is in front of Toison D’Or Campsite; driving – take a left off Route des Plages and on Boulevard de Tamaris and park in the parking behind private naturist restaurant Neptune Beach. The beach is very busy but offers an amazing sand beach, clean water that gets deeper very slowly. If you want a sun lounger for the day ask at Neptune Beach. There is another naturist beach on Pampelonne at Chemin des Barraques entrance close to La Plage des Jumeaux and in front of Nikki Beach to the left as you face the sea.
Escalet Nudist Beach Saint Tropez
For the most amazing skinny dip in Saint Tropez if not in France head to Escalet nature reserve in Ramatuelle. Escalet Beach has the real azur-coloured water and you can find many Mediterranean fish in the sea especially in the morning. There are lots of creeks and inlets to discover snorkeling and the walking trails would suit anyone and their dog looking for a good trek. Escalet is protected by the Conservatoire National du Littoral which keeps the rocks and beaches clean and disallows any building so you really get a feel you are back in nature. There are two trails high on the cliffs that run from the main Escalet beach towards the Cap Lardier. The naturists are found on the sea-front lounging on big flat rocks that stretch into the clear turquoise waters. To access the area you will need to turn right at Escalet beach and drive up past the villas to a small parking right at the end (you may have to pay for parking in season). From here you can either turn right or left and walk along the beach and cliff passes until you find the right spot. There is an enormous almost white naturist beach called the Plage de la Briande if you walk far enough around the Cap Lardier. There is also Plage de Cap Taillat which is small but actually faces two stretches of water. Plage de la Douane and the Crique de la Douane are also good to explore. Pack a pack lunch and remember walking shoes and of course your all-over body sun tan lotion.
Gigaro Naturist Beach south France
Gigaro is another famous natural beach in La Croix Valmer 10 minutes from Saint Tropez. Many nudists are found a bit further from the main Gigaro beach often on the rocks, and on the Plage des Brouis a fair way along the sentier du littoral or there is a more direct path in the forest behind the water’s edge. The Plage de Brouis has a good naked community. The rocks, beaches and general atmosphere at Gigaro is definitely the wildest of these naturist beaches. If you like a good walk, like small little inlets with amazing places to hide and be discreet then Gigaro is the place to get in the nude. The beaches are also backed by forests which adds to the remoteness. The water is very clean and the sunsets here are worth the wait at the end of the day.
Le Layet Beach in Le Lavandou
Le Layet naked beach St Tropez, Cote D’Azur
Another fantastic sunning location in the Saint Tropez area is the Plage de La Layet after Cavalière and just before Le Lavandou. With awesome seaviews from a parking at the top of the cliff (get there early) there are lots of little paths that lead down to a secret creek and two secret beaches either side of the promontory (pointe de Layet) which is populated with rocks where you can sunbathe naked in peace. There is also the main beach to the left of the Calanques de Layet which is much more busy where you can meet other naturists and get more info about the area and other local spots. The water is crystal-clear with large flat stones to dive off and explore with a mask and snorkel.
When you live full time in one of the most beautiful corners of the world like Saint Tropez, it is often difficult to be objective about its qualities.
For example, those of us who work at St Tropez House, leading providers of luxury villas for rent and for sale in the Saint Tropez area, think that there’s nowhere else like it on the planet.
We’ve got the best bars, the best restaurants and without doubt the best beaches of anywhere in the South of France at our fingertips and within a short meander from all of our luxury rentals in Saint Tropez.
But if you think we are too subjective, why not look at the following article published recently in the Daily Telegraph, which lists the string of beautiful beaches near to our exclusive portfolio of exceptional properties.
