France: The best of Cote d'Azur France (area St. Tropez/ Ramatuelle)
We LOVE the French Cote d'Azur, they can't do anything about it. There are a number of reasons for this: we can go there by car (and therefore with our child, dog and a ridiculous amount of stuff), it is old chic (we love old chic, old chic loves us) and it is - especially in the early and late season - beautiful.
Oh, and the wine. And the food. That too. So we celebrate our 'real' holiday here every year, as we call it. Time for one France: The Best of Cote d'Azur.
(okay, secretly this is actually our own annual to do list, see you there!)
Before you read further: save this article also good for when you travel by car route du soleil goes to the south of France. Namely here the nicest pit stops and transit hotels. Don't mention it. Oh, and these are the nicest zip codes: the 14 nicest places on the French coast.
Jacquemus is take over Saint Tropez! With a boutique, beach and restaurant, Saint Tropez will be dominated by the yellow-white-striped Jacquemus from the summer of 2024. We like it.
The interior of the restaurant screams summer. The main color of the restaurant? Yellow. Yellow and white striped chairs, light linen curtains, a beautiful lemon tree in the corner and yellow accessories everywhere, it almost looks like you're stepping into the sun itself. But no, it really is a restaurant, and it is inevitable that what will be on your plate will also be in style (it would be to the credit of the designer if the dishes were not also top notch are). Where? Jacquemus leaves us waiting to see where this restaurant will be located: on Instagram they only share a teaser with the text; Are you ready for Jacquemus taking over St tropez?
We know one thing for sure: this restaurant will not only be a beautiful table to eat from. Put it on your list for a snack, drink, but also for that one snapshot on Instagram.
If any bells start ringing when you read the name Fondugues Pradugues then you are certainly not wrong: yes, this is that wine brand with that delicious light yellow-pink rosé wine. Definitely a favorite during the summer months. But the brand is making it even better this year: they will be posting during the summer months of 2020 a food truck among the pine trees of the southern French coastal town of Ramatuelle, next to St. Tropez. There between the trees hung with lights, they serve delicious dishes, of course matching the ditto wines. A must for anyone in the area. Read more
Now that we are recommending hidden gems in the region, this one should not be missed: Les Graniers. This don't tell anyone else tip is a wonderfully uncomplicated and quite reasonably priced beach bar (when you consider that the place is located right below the center of St. Tropez), recognizable as the boat bar. You will find the business at the foot of Saint-Tropez in a small bay in the Bay of Canebiers: a 'secret' beach with clear water. The beautiful wooden hut is a classic insider's tip where authentic, simple and ridiculously tasty barbecue dishes are served on the wooden tables. Perfect spices, wild fish, lobster or a Black Angus rib. Traditional grilled sardines or the pesto pasta. And that is a relaxed yet chic atmosphere without bling bling. Do it. Make a reservation.
Not news for those familiar with the area, but even then it is possible that you have not yet been to the small, densely packed Plage des Salins. A shame because the beach bar is close to St Tropez, and not in the famous Plage de Pampelonne row. The latter, not being located on the popular Plage de Pampelonne, is beneficial on several fronts: Plage des Salins is nice, you can usually find a spot there, even in August, and the prices are not ridiculous. You sit ridiculously close together and the tables are ridiculously small, but that's forgiven: we love the blue and white undisguised authentic southern French coastal restaurant + beach. You eat fish with pasta. At least, that's what we would do.
All the opulence, luxury and overall splendor of the most beautiful and best hotels out there, but without a hotel, which, in a nutshell, is Gigi Ramatuelle. Sounds crazy, right? But think about it... It's actually really smart. Because we want to lie with you from the pool and we want to transfer it to our bed. We want that luxury of a delicious restaurant within walking distance of the beach and we also want a restaurant with multiple 'rooms' so that we can just spend a day there. But also pay the top price for a week (or even just a few nights) for the hotel room that matches this delight? Phew, unfortunately we're really running out of steam on that. So we happily book a nice apartment and spend the day with Gigi Ramatuelle.
Please note: 50/50% score here: the first time was fan-tas-tic, the second time French arrogance came into play. We will keep you informed.
Ugh, human children, this hotel… This design. Not normal oh so beautiful. Hotel La Tartane Saint Tropez is the topic of conversation and we would love to live here. That's not an option at just under 1000 euros per night (one night isn't even an option, but hey, maybe you can spare it?).
We often write here that 'you also experience the best of an expensive hotel if you only eat there'. Now in this case that is (unfortunately) not entirely true because anyone who only joins for dinner is not allowed to hang out by the beautiful swimming pool, not to flop down in the dream beds and not to hang on to the at your service drip from the obliging staff. But hey, you can dream and for now we'll just join in. Reservations are of course a must.
Photo credits swimming pool @FlorianTouzet
A picture is La Reserve a la Plage. The result of no fewer than 23 new beach tents on Pampelonne beach. Everything was built sustainably and part of 'the neighbours', hotel La Réserve (a retreat here is just a short speedboat ride away away). Master decorator Philippe Starck was called in for La Reserve a la Plage and that turned out to be a great success voucher plan: thanks to a cheerful mix of burned-orange and white striped cushions, mismatched rattan and canvas chairs, long tables and a thatched hut, the atmosphere is decidedly unpretentious. Even better, the food from Eric Canino, the chef at La Réserve Ramatuelle's two Michelin star restaurant La Voile, is delicious. There are stuffed zucchini flowers, fish tartare, fried octopus, pieces of grilled beef, tarte tropézienne with custard – everything as playful and elegant as the black and white marble bathrooms. A bit of sunbathing, back to the bar, rosé in hand, and then a dance step when the dicibels are cranked up in the afternoon. Audience? That of 55 Club, rolling from their yachts. Pricey? Do you still need to ask that?
Hot off the press (2021) tip: restaurant Pablo Saint Tropez. A fresh and fresh and nice young restaurant from the Indie group. That's right: those are the people who are also behind the beach bar of the same name that you will also find here in this list! Read more.
Hit the market anyway Place des Lices not over, it has been the nicest and most atmospheric market in St. Tropez for many years. A bit touristy, yes, but still fun. You will find it in the famous Var ports. Olives, bags of lavender, goat cheese, garlic, thyme, chestnut paste and local fruit and vegetables. Every Tuesday and Saturday morning from 7.00:13.00 am to XNUMX:XNUMX pm.
Have dinner at a restaurant Napoleon, a small hidden country estate in the heart of Saint Tropez. you sit in a beautiful stone courtyard and the menu is classic Mediterranean. Shrimp ceviche, fennel and citrus marinated beans, a small well-filled Niçois salad, black cod fillets with miso, fried spinach, angus steak with walnut crust, fresh peach soup and peach sorbet, and the best wines of the region.
Riviera Villages may not mean anything to you, but there is a chance that bells will ring if we mention Camping Kontiki, the nicest 9th (most loved) campsite on the Cote d'Azur? That campsite is Riviera Villages and that club also runs the equally attractive campsites Prairies de la Mer and Toison d'Or. The latter, Toison d'Or, is again close to Kontiki and is perhaps less known but certainly no less fun. If you have scored a holiday cabin here, you can walk to the beach of Pampelonne during your French summer holiday and you will be a stone's throw from all the wonderful addresses that we list below. The dream, yes.
But... Isn't there a completely different title above? Beats! All Riviera Villages locations also have private accommodations that these private people in turn rent out. Really original places. Camping Bakkum, but better.
Good better best in this case because we are not talking about just any private accommodation. No no: Petite Caravane is Stella Willing's holiday dream and Stella is one of the most tasteful women we know. Casa Gitane, you know, that beautiful interior design label? Stella. All Love Stories stores? Stella. The former Scotch Collectables, the upscale vintage furniture line from Scotch & Soda? Stella. In the design of, among others, Hangar in Amsterdam? Stella.
Can you imagine what she does with her own house and therefore also her holiday home... Right. And that's exactly where you can stay every now and then! Ha! And that is exactly what we are going to do this summer... Stay tuned!
Whatever you do, strike despite the tourism (blah blah blah – don't forget you're a tourist too) St. Tropez not about. The streets, the old and the new money, the success in the air and yes, the tourism, we also enjoy that. Never missed and by far a favorite in the city is the bar-restaurant Tigrr, Part of Hotel Ermitage, and with a roof terrace from where you can see the best sunsets.
Admittedly, the village of Ramatuelle, a stone's throw from St. Tropez, is a Dutch enclave for children. But hey, that's not without reason! it is simply DELICIOUS. Where should you go? On the beach to start:
Indie Beach
The discovery of the summer of 2016 when this beach bar opened for the first time. Not. Away. At. Hit. Wonderfully relatively undiscovered, averse to the well-known southern French upturned nose and the perfect beach bar for the end of the afternoon and the rest of the evening.
Spitz
In 2019 we went to the then brand new Loulou beach bar for the first time and man oh man what a good idea that was. The atmosphere is what you would expect and expect from the South of France, the logo with lemons is both clever and funny and the food is light and delicious. Duration? Yes. Yes. We think Loulou is a bit like the new Le Club 55, but perhaps that is too early to celebrate…
An Indie Beach favorite for a long time, Cabane Bambou knocked this beach bar off its throne – sorry. Cabane Bambou is wildly attractive, the food is uncomplicated (yes, expensive, yes, everything is expensive here – what's new) and the staff are remarkably friendly (with us, we don't dare burn our fingers with such a statement. But 1 day in the Ramatuelle neighborhood? Combine Cabane Bambou with Le Club 55 and you have the best of the old and the new St. Tropez-on-the-beach. Oh, and bring a big wallet because the items in the spacious shop (not a crappy beach shop) are really delicious. The main photo above is also Cabane Bambou.
Do it: rent a boat! That can go well Plage Bonne Terrace. Boat Sonia is perfect for even a large family with 3 or 4 kids and costs 330 euros for a whole day. And then snorkeling among the tropical fish in the most beautiful bays. Recommended!
(Have come this far and are planning to stop crocheting? Don't! The bottom tip is also a great one... Just so you know!)
Okay okay okay… The new hotel Epi 1959 in Ramatuelle is quite a high threshold. But if you bring your back straight, lips puckered and a well-filled wallet, you're going to love it! Anyone who is familiar with the area may start to ring bells. That's true: Epi 1959 is one of the most legendary hotels in Pampelonne. That resulted in faded glory, until the hotel closed, the whole place was swept and a dream of a hotel with two restaurants emerged. It is modern, while remaining true to the spirit of the 60s that characterizes the place. Handsome. Nice. There are only a handful of beautiful rooms (for which you can pay a pretty penny) full of rattan furniture, colored curtains and beautiful vintage floral fabrics. It doesn't matter if you never get there: the poolside restaurant breathes the spirit of Provence and spending an afternoon here is the dream. There is also a Japanese restaurant, if the kids stay at home and you want to get fancy.
Club 55
Duh. A blue-white must. Year after year after year. Sometimes a bit too arrogant towards people who just show up, but if you make a reservation properly, as they like at 55, you will have the lunch of your life. Sort of speaking. Often attributed to St. Tropez, Le Club 55 actually belongs to Ramatuelle. What could it be: Le Club 55 is a hard classic that is ridiculously busy and equally ridiculously expensive. And yet... We still think it's worth it, every year. Precisely because Le Club 55 is that priceless French Je ne sais quoi captures so well. And because the vongele is so delicious, the live chansons always put you in the holiday spirit and watching and being watched has been elevated to an art (although no one will admit that of course). Good to know: like so many well-known and beloved addresses, 55 also has an 'alternative' dining spot. A wooden cafe was built behind the beach where you can eat a good (not magnificent, to be honest) pizza or salad for a small amount. But it is better to make a reservation in time for an extensive lunch.
Read more: Club 55
Bamboo hut
Also a firm favorite on the beach. Nice and fancy (there is a boat service) but you are either on the Cote d'Azur or you are not. you can sit in the shade on the beach and the cuisine is fresh and remarkably healthy. The menu changes every 2 months.
Le Will Ramatuelle
Not far from La Sauvageonne in the green of Ramatuelle you will find Le Will and pizza, pasta and a White wine at Le Will you want. It is nice and uncomplicated, and just very cool.
Playamigos
Another more than very nice and not to be missed in the summer of 2020: Playamigos. Just the right looks, mMediterranean atmosphere and on the Tamaris path on Pampelonne beach. Tapas and cocktails on the menu, all in one sunny chic setting.
Jardin Tropezina
A beach + forest + pastel colors + Mediterranean cuisine + beautiful light. We love the quiet Jardin Tropézina where you can look out over the bay of Pampelonne.
Club Les Palmiers
A little more of the Wes and Yo Ibiza Chic thanks to the tables on the sand with starched white table linen down to the floor. Less favorite here at Bart HQ, but not one to leave unmentioned.
The Sauvageonne
Just off the beach, book a crazy evening at La Sauvageonne. The hysteria lies in the exaggerated cheerfulness of the staff of the Tiki-style restaurant when they serve you a cocktail, with a parasol of course. Nice.
If you go by train (fun but secretly takes longer than you think given the transfer), you get off in Aix-en-Provence. Correct. That of the rosé. A super (but really!) nice town that is, admittedly, quite touristy. There is no shortage of restaurants, but don't miss these friends:
Pointe Noire Bar at Mets
If you have an evening, spend it at the Pointe Noire Bar à Mets, which opened in 2016. A restaurant that is just right, where it may not be super cheap (but also not excessively expensive), but where everything is right, from the simple but tasteful decor to the dishes on your plate that are exactly the same: often remarkably well-chosen, simple and invariably delicious. Pointe Noire Bar at Mets
Mitch
Super delicious food in a small restaurant near the main roundabout of the town. Mitch
With Baby Onions
A cheerful, a bit crazy but just super fun burger shop that is popular for its vegetarian burger, but where we would still like to try the truffle variant (with meat). Aux Petites Oignons
Also very interesting in Aix-en-Provence: Villa Gallici
Be crazy and go to the village of La Croix Valmer. There is not much to do there, but you will find a wonderful hotel, Hotel Les Moulins de Paillas. Not necessarily super hip, but more than delicious. But the most important thing is that from there you roll straight onto the beach (literally) and across that beach to the restaurant Marius à la Plage, a fantastic and delicious French beach restaurant where reservations are a must (one day in advance, don't panic). From the end of the afternoon the beach is busy with bubbling beachgoers (of the handsome kind), sipping champagne and nibbling on homemade chips. Then the sunset and then up for delicious fish dishes. And then you roll Hotel Les Moulins de Paillas nest in (dogs welcome). Highly recommended for a night for those who regularly travel around France. Or two.
Not far from Saint-Tropez, in the lush greenery of Cape Lardier, it stands out Hotel Lily of the valley is quite different from the well-known not so special hotels that tourists here generally find completely fine. In mid-June, Philippe Starck's first project opened on the Côte d'Azur. The hotel's look is inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Provencal abbeys and Californian villas. Just say no to that... The hotel is nothing less than a charming pied-à-terre consisting of 44 luxurious rooms and suites, a spa with a range of wellness treatments (also a tip if you don't sleep here) and an organic restaurant that produces locally produced dishes. Recommended, and although the hotel is certainly not cheap, it is a big difference with its colleagues in St. Tropez and Ramatuelle.
There is a good chance that you won't be able to tick off all of the above during a holiday, but hey, we have more! More South of France:
- The most beautiful and tastiest of Cassis: restaurants en bays
- Bart's Best of Cannes
- Favorite addresses in Marseille
- Juan les Pins
Marseille is the perfect pit stop on the way to the rest of the French Riviera. Where would we like to make that one pit stop in the coastal village? Tuba Club it is. You sit here for a tasty bite in front of you by chef Antoine Techené, while you gaze at the azure blue sea. The club has a breathtaking view of the sea and, in addition to a restaurant, has a sun-drenched terrace with bar with a beautiful view of the cove. But… Tuba club is not only the perfect pit stop because of the delicious food. No-no. You can also spend the night here. The club has 5 double rooms (unfortunately pets are not allowed). You will drop from your chair on the terrace or the restaurant onto your bed in the room in no time. mobile! A charming stay. Promise.
