Saint-Tropez is centrally located along the southern shore of the Gulf de Saint-Tropez in southwestern France. While the immediately surrounding countryside has become somewhat overdeveloped by tourism, an expedition to the ancient towns of Grimaud and Cogolin (the latter famous for its briar pipes) is well worth it, as you’ll be driving through rolling wine country, where the justly renowned rosé wines of Côtes de Provence are produced. There is a legend attached to the names of the two towns. Saint- Tropez was named after Torpes, a Christian Roman centurion condemned by Nero to be beheaded and cast adrift in a small boat with a rooster and a dog. Cogolin, in archaic French, means "small rooster"; Grimaud is Old French for "dog." The ruins of the medieval castle at Grimaud are worth exploring—a cultural effort that will make your subsequent visit to vineyards seem well earned.

PLACES TO SEE AND BE SEEN, AND THINGS TO DO THERE:

Even the hardiest sailor needs sustenance now and again; or, as the great Joseph Conrad, who knew a thing or two about sailing, put it in A Smile of Fortune, "…it would have been so much nicer just to sail about, with here and there a port and a bit of land to stretch one’s legs on… and get a change of cooking for a while." As a place to stretch one’s legs and get an extensive choice of cuisines, you can hardly do better than Saint-Tropez. Here are a few of the town’s most choice locations to see and be seen—and taste and buy. (Click image to enlarge)

Bonnefoy
Rue du 11 Novembre
A totally unpretentious little place with four outside tables. The best French fries ever, crisp and featherlight.

Les Graniers
Plage des Graniers
04 94 97 38 50
Perfect for a Sunday lunch of moules frites and a bottle of rosé with your feet in the sand. The clientele is often the best part of the show.

Luna Rossa
26 Rue Allard
04 94 97 23 86
Pleasant outdoor tables close to the lovely façade of the Musée de l’Annonciade.

La Marine
22 Quai Jean Jaurès
04 94 97 04 07
Marvelous soupe de poisson, and its version of home-fried potatoes is ambrosia for those unafraid of cholesterol.

Les Mouscardins Tour du Portalet
04 94 97 29 00
A highly recommended gourmet restaurant—but the food and service were disappointing on our visit.

Le Petit Charron
We’re very sorry, you’ll just have to find this one! We finally got in on the third day of trying. The local clientele is knowledgeable. Well worth the effort!

La Rhumerie
Quai Jean Jaurès
04 94 97 31 58
Great for lunch on the waterfront.

La Table du Marché
38 Rue Georges Clémenceau
04 94 97 85 20
Enjoy a refined choucroute garnie. Its tarte tropezienne (the traditional local dessert) is exquisite.

Hotel de Sube
15 Quai de Suffren
04 94 97 30 04
Grab one of the four balcony tables and enjoy your evening pastis overlooking the moored fleet. Tastefully done up in a club-like atmosphere. A great place to end your evening as well.

Kelly’s Irish Pub
Quai F. Mistral
04 94 54 89 11
It seems that everywhere sailors wash up there’s
an Irish pub. Kelly’s is the local version.

Sol e Luna
5 Rue des Feniers
04 94 54 85 85
Pleasant and quiet spot, below street level.

VIP Room
Résidence du Nouveau Port
04 94 97 14 70
Ultramodern restaurant-cum-disco. You can have fun fighting for the tiny top level of the raised dance stand.

Le Club 55
45 Blvd. Patch, Ramatuelle
04 94 55 55 55

Papagayo
Résidence du Port
04 94 79 29 50
One of the "in" spots (the "musts," as the French would say) along the port.

The Waterfront
Almost anywhere there are boats, you’ll find a statisfying bite and beverage.

Musée de l’Annonciade
Place Grammont
04 94 17 84 10
Admired for the perfect proportions of its façade, the museum contains works by Braque, Matisse, Utrillo, Bonnard and many others.

Place des Lices
This open-air market is a must. From food to shoelaces, you can find something to take away. Tuesday and Saturday mornings from 8 to 1. The rest of the time it’s taken over by boules players and flaneurs. Several cafés and restaurants add to the general ambiance.

La Citadelle
Originally a sixteenth-century fortress, it now houses the Naval Museum of Saint-Tropez. It commands a panoramic view of the entire gulf.