For a few summer months every year, a town in the South of France with a year-round population of less than 4,000 lures the world’s tech titans, soccer stars and red-carpet regulars. Yachts akin to floating palaces fill the marina, celebrity chefs jet in for residencies at local restaurants and Pampelonne Beach morphs into a sandy catwalk with seasonal beach clubs.
Long before the 1956 release of “And God Created Woman,” when Brigitte Bardot drew the elite’s gaze to this corner of the French Riviera, St. Tropez was a port run on shipbuilding and maritime trade. You can still find vestiges of that past in the cobbled alleyways lined with pastel townhouses once owned by sea captains.
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You don’t have to spend big to explore St. Tropez’s charming backstreets. Violette Franchi for WSJ
Areas like those and the other places in this guide are part of the quieter side of St. Tropez, away from the nightclubs, where you don’t have to be a millionaire to have a good time.
Outdoor thrills
Set on a peninsula ringed by vineyards and nature reserves, St. Tropez’s surroundings still feel wild, thanks to a 1986 national law that preserves large tracts of coastline.
To get a sense of the topography, walk 10 minutes from the center of town up to the Citadelle , a fortress where peacocks roam and you’ll have panoramic views over the Gulf of St. Tropez. Inside the 400-year-old building, a maritime museum (tickets around $6) charts the port’s history as a launching point for sailing expeditions all over the world.
A view of the bay from La Citadelle. Violette Franchi for WSJ
The Sentier du Littoral, a walking trail that starts back near sea level, skirts the coast around St. Tropez for some 25 miles. In spring, the trail is fragrant with jasmine and pine. As you get farther away from St. Tropez, the crowds thin; don’t be alarmed if you run into a nude sunbather or two.
A beach along the Sentier du Littoral. Violette Franchi for WSJ
You could take the trail all the way to trendy Pampelonne, where sun beds at its beach clubs go for upwards of $140 for the day. The walk at a leisurely pace takes around four hours. Or, you could stop 2 miles earlier and grab a beach lounger at Les Salins , where prime seaside spots go for around $29.
Lounge chairs along Pampelonne Beach. Violette Franchi for WSJ
Aquatic adventures
Ships float off the coast throughout the year, but autumn ushers in one of the biggest sailing regattas on the Mediterranean. Held since 1999, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez will take place this year from Sept. 26 to October 4. Admire the classic and modern boats in the port, or sign up for an excursion with Bateaux Verts , which offers ferry rides and boat trips. Taking one during the regatta can offer an “insider’s perspective of the races,” said Pierre Roinson, president of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, which organizes the regatta.
If you’re looking to get active on the water, the Yacht Club of Saint-Tropez offers kayak, windsurf and paddleboard rentals, from around $23 per hour.
Local eats
In the summer, St. Tropez can feel like a celebrity cook-off with Michelin-starred chefs seemingly competing for the most popular pop-up. Those restaurants serve elevated fare with price tags to match, but you don’t have to splurge on tasting menus to eat well.
Away from the crowds, Les Viviers du Pilon offers views over the gulf and fresh seafood, with starters from around $25, and an on-site fish market.
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The catch of the day and the dining room at Les Viviers du Pilon. Violette Franchi for WSJ
On the Place des Lices, the central square that hosts twice-weekly farmers markets, Scarlett Grande Librairie is a hybrid bookstore-cafe with good coffee and homemade cake. Laura Marnas, who has explored every inch of town as director of the St. Tropez office for the Magrey & Sons real estate agency, appreciates its “bohemian-chic ambience away from the hustle and bustle.”
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At Scarlett Grande Librairie, you can browse for books and enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack. Violette Franchi for WSJ
Marnas also recommends going 20 minutes outside of town for a meal or two in the medieval hilltop village of Ramatuelle. She likes the Italian restaurant La Pomme de Pin , the pizza spot Le Will , where slices can be enjoyed under parasol pines, and the 1907 Wine Bar at the Château des Marres vineyard for a sunset aperitif.
Dining al fresco at Le Will in Ramatuelle. Violette Franchi for WSJ
Affordable accommodations
If you cast your net outside of the town center and consider visiting in the low season, your options for reasonable accommodations multiply. On the coast toward St. Maxime, Camping des Mûres is a four-star campground on the beach, where cozy, wood-paneled mobile homes start at around $70 a night. In nearby Gassin, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, rates at La Bastide d’Antoine hotel drop to $250 in October.
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At Camping des Mûres, rustic but comfortable cabins are located right on the beach. Violette Franchi for WSJ
If staying in the heart of town is nonnegotiable, you can find the occasional deal. Right on the Place des Lices, the Hôtel Les Palmiers offers 25 rooms in a traditional Provençal building set in a garden. Rates start from $137 a night in low season and top out at around $345 in the summer—a bargain compared to other hotels in town.
At Hôtel Sube , overlooking the port, low-season rates start at $285. Its nautically-themed bar regularly draws locals at sunset for Negronis.
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A Negroni at Hotel Sube and the hotel’s facade. Violette Franchi for WSJ
“It’s a timeless spot where you can appreciate the charm of the Old Port as the light fades,” said Roinson. If you’re there for the regatta, look out for an appearance from the parish priest. “Before Les Voiles, Father Gouarin conducts the traditional blessing of the boats from the balcony.”
