Hey!!

Anyone been to St Tropez in Summer?!

I've only ever been on a skiing holiday in the Alpes in South of France... i've yet to party like a movie star in the most beautiful and famed destination on the French Riviera!

Tell me what you think of St tropez...and if you're going next year!!

xox Julz

ok while I am here..

St Tropez is a gem. I have had work and play there and each time I return I feel a glow. Forget any hype you have read about it, it is just a magical place, the main centre being a tiny harbour with very large craft crammed in seemingly impossibly, with tiny backstreets. It is "unspoilt". If you are going by car in the summer as a tourist, set off really early or you will be sitting in traffic jams. Boat is more civilised as is a heli but the locals are getting upset with the amount of heli traffic. If you come in by car, park by the marina and walk through to the center piece tiny harbour and just look in awe at the sight...



Walk around, stop for a coffee, dont eat there as it's horribly toursity. The designer shops are just back from the front along a narrow road. Also walk to the end of the harbour and have a look..






Also walk up the endless little alleyways and work your way up onto the hill overlooking the town and from there take in the beauty of it, the walk round the headland....



At the right time, almost next to the designer shops, will be a market in Place des Lices Market.

There is no beach actually in the town but near is one at the Plage Pampelonne- have a good body and be prepared to show it and spend some serious money.

The Hôtel Byblos is lovely.

One can either see St Trop as tourist trap, or spend quality time there getting to know it. If you want to party and eat like a film star, you will need seriously deep pockets and looking the part will help open some but not all doors. There is a lot goes on there behind doormen:)

There are other gems along the Cote D'Azure, I love Antibes, Frejus is functional but pretty, St Raphael commercialised, Cannes is just Cannes but an amazing thin stretch of beach all the way to Cannes La Bocca. Nice old town is nice lol. Monte Carlo is gorgeous. By sea/heli is the way to get around down there in summer, traffic is hell. In land go to St Paul de Vence.

Just scraped the surface of this great coast..

Alicia
xxx

pics taken by Kim ( www.myspace.com/theveryenglishkim), one of her profile pics is also from there:)

Alicia thanks so much for that! I had no idea that there was actually no beach there? Oh well there will be plenty of other beaches, we're doing a bit of a Eurotrip - going to Ibiza & the Greek Islands as well

Thanks for the great pictures!

Urgh looks like i'm gonna be digging quite deep to get around in St Trop... or otherwise get to know the locals very well... gosh i didn't realise how many people traveled around in helicopters there!

Julz
xox

Julz

The heli from Cannes is not cheap at about 400-500EU but fast. It doesn't land right in St Trop

Yes the "St Tropez" beach is out of town at Plage Pampelonne and is a gorgeous long stretch. Like all French beaches, topless is the norm for ppl our age and in one section it is also bottom less- not always pretty on public sections if the German 50yr old is strutting his stuff lol The French are naturally free with the body, as comes across in fashion modelling in Paris Vogue, Numero and many other beautiful magazines. Best tan that way on a boat or in the private areas.

The "high life" is in the private club areas along there, with Nikki Beach (young), Club 55 (more sophisticated) and La Voile Rouge (can be quite interesting!) If you want to lounge by the pool in places like Nikki, expect to have to order expensive champagne. Nikki is part of the worldwide chain, a black card costs about $5000 US a year. But if you just want the beach and not lifestyle, the ordinary beach is fine but overall it's a bit of a trek if you already have a good beach where you are. There are lots of beautiful free beaches on the Cote D'Azure and Italy, free sections interspersed with private pay sections. With St Trop, it comes down to again either just seeing the "highlife" from the outside but nevertheless enjoying the beautiful town, or blowing lots of money in the beach clubs and in town at the Les Caves du Roy. If you are doing the Euro Trip, I would really save your money and spend it on seeing as many places as you can. Or, find yourself a rich guy, there are many around, but most come with strings attached usually...!!

You will love Ibiza, crazy massive clubbing in the south and beautiful scenery up north and hire some scooters and explore. The Greek Islands are magical! Also recommend the best city in the world- Paris, the whacky Barlecona (skip Madrid), the whacky baccy Amsterdam, quirky London, the heat and noise of Rome, beautiful Florence, (skip Milan), the spectacular Amalfie coast, the one and only Venice, peaceful Interlarken in Switzerland, Chamonix at the foot of the Alps and many more. Surfing is on the French Atlantic coast along the huge sand dune beaches near Bordeaux

Probs ppl will pitch in with many more places for EU is just so full of diversity and wonder.

Hope you have a wonderful trip:)

Alicia
xx

Thank you Alicia! I suppose it's better to save some money and not blow it all in st trop...but don't worry, hopefully a few attractive girls can work some magic and find some yaghts and parties to be invited to! Definitely want to go to Nikki Beach, have heard so much about it.

Paris is charming, I will hopefully experience many of the special places you mentioned :)

Love your pearls of wisdom!

Julie
xox