URBAN GUIDE

We’d read that the stars were shunning the celebrated seaside resort, deserting the fishing village made famous by legends such as Brigitte Bardot, Matisse, Picasso and Karl Lagerfeld. But that would be to misunderstand the energy and attraction of Saint-Tropez, which has set out to reclaim its place in the sun, driven by a new generation of entrepreneurs, hoteliers, architects and chefs. These include buzzy big-name restaurants that have already been successful in Paris and abroad. LVMH has replicated Venice’s iconic Cipriani in Saint-Tropez, designer Sam Baron has injected the magic back into Bagatelle beach club restaurant in Pampelonne, and Moma Group, led by Benjamin Patou, arrived on the French Riviera last season with its stable of new venues: Café Lapérouse on Quai Frédéric Mistral, Manko near the harbour, and Casa Amor, a boho-chic beach restaurant with a menu by Akrame Benallal and cutting-edge musical programming chosen by artistic directors straight out of Tulum. A few kilometres away, Laurent de Gourcuff (Paris Society) has turned his stylish Parisian trattoria, Gigi, into a beach house restaurant hidden away in the midst of the beautiful pine forest, while another of his restaurants, Le Piaf, has spawned a summer version in Pampelonne. “Our clients still go to Saint-Tropez,” explains Alexandra de la Brosse, the group’s communications director. “We wanted to establish a presence with Gigi, a beach house restaurant whose atmosphere evokes the Riviera in the 1960s. It is set in a six-hectare park, with access to the beach, a pool, concept store and a lively restaurant with a focus on sharing. People needed something new that was less flashy and more on-trend.”

LOCALS AT THE HELM
Does she mean fewer magnums of champagne and truffle shavings, and more good vibes and great music? The town, which has 4,600 year-round residents and 80,000 summer visitors, has been revitalised. During the Covid-19 pandemic, French tourists who had been regulars in Ibiza, Sardinia and Greece pivoted to the beaches of the French Riviera. And new, younger professionals managed to enter the close-knit circle of Saint-Tropez food and nightlife thanks to the Coastal Act and the renewal of beach concessions in 2018. These entrepreneurs include the three members of the Indie Group, Tobias Chaix, Vincent Luftman and Raphaël Blanc, all thirty-somethings determined to restore their town to its former glory. They set themselves the challenge of “disrupting Saint-Tropez’s restaurants and nightlife to make them hip, lively and on-trend musically,” says Raphaël Blanc. They began by launching Indie Beach, a festive beach venue located on a dune that resembles a Bedouin camp. Then came Pablo, a club in the centre of town with a line-up of hot French DJs and international headliners, and Playamigos, which rivals the coolest beach clubs on the Greek archipelago, and finally La Sauvageonne nestled in the vineyards of Ramatuelle, a restaurant that’s both intimate and buzzy. This year the trio is switching things up by organising the third edition of their music festival, Indie Fest, in the Citadelle de Saint-Tropez, as well as opening the Café de l’Ormeau in Ramatuelle. “A little gem in the village, which had been under the same owners for decades,” explains Raphaël Blanc. “It'n market day.” In late May, it became a little Provençale brasserie, open all year round for lunch and dinner with a seasonal menu.

PASSING THE BATON
Joyce Naveau has taken over Cabane Bambou beach restaurant in Pampelonne, created by her father Jacques, and given it a strong ethical and sustainable dimension orchestrated by local architect Anthony Hugo. Further up, there’s Le Tigrr bar and restaurant at Hôtel Ermitage, a century-old institution where you can play a round of petanque or sing karaoke on Thursday nights with a stunning view of the bay. The biggest news is the acquisition of the legendary Hôtel de la Ponche in the old town. Far from the bling of the Saint-Tropez jet-set, this luxury boarding house has hosted major figures in the worlds of French literature and film. It was recently renovated by Nicolas Saltiel and revamped by Milanese interior designer Fabrizio Casiraghi.
“It's a historic building in Saint-Tropez with a truly unique story,” says its new owner. “The idea wasn't to do something new but to keep the history of La Ponche alive - a district that has contributed to the town's mythology.” The rooms, whose décor is enhanced with vintage objects, are named after its famous visitors, such as Boris Vian, Simone Duckstein, Roger Vadim, Catherine Deneuve, Les Pompidou and Kenzo. In addition to organising long-stay meditation retreats, the hotel is partnering with the Musée de l'Annonciade to help connect its guests with Saint-Tropez’s cultural scene. “Culture is vital to Saint-Tropez,” says Nicolas Saltiel, “although perhaps we have forgotten it a little over time.” This year sees the launch of the Prix La Ponche, the town’s first literary prize awarded on 20 May, which will recall a time when this district of Saint-Tropez was like an annexe of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris.

By Raphaëlle Elkrief