Saint-Tropez is a minuscule town that protrudes from the mid-point of the French Riviera, but does it come equipped with its own train station?
Saint-Tropez doesn’t have any major transport links, which includes a train station or airport. Instead, visitors to the region must fly to Nice, around an hour away, or take a train to Saint Raphael or Les Arcs-Draguignan, both located around thirty minutes from Saint-Tropez.
Read on to learn more about Saint-Tropez, why it’s such a popular location to visit, and how to actually get there.
There’s A Town Called Saint-Tropez
Today, Saint-Tropez is a favored destination for the super-rich and the world’s elite, but that wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, Saint-Tropez was a humble coastal town located in the middle of the French Riviera, unassuming and little-visited.
However, Saint-Tropez was one of the first locations where allied forces landed during the Second World War, fighting through Operation Dragoon. It’s said that the soldiers pushing up through the town found it to be so beautiful that many of them vowed to return when the war was over.
They remained true to their word, and before long, Saint-Tropez was a desired and coveted location for countless tourists looking to explore the region. As time passed, the global eye was drawn to Saint-Tropez owing to its prominence in French cinema and music movements.
However, the history of Saint-Tropez goes back much further than just the Second World War. It’s said that the earliest references of Saint-Tropez stretch back some three thousand years, to the Ancient Greeks.
In fact, the very name ‘Saint-Tropez’ is thought to have come from an Italian martyr, Saint Torpes, who was decapitated and set afloat in a boat along the Arno. As the story goes, the boat – and Torpes – washed up on the coast of modern-day Saint-Tropez, and the local villagers decided to name their town after him.
Of course, it isn’t necessarily clear how the local villagers knew his name, but that’s obviously a discussion for another day. Regardless, Saint-Tropez was born, and history was well on the way to being made.
The Modern-Day Marvel
These days, Saint-Tropez has transitioned from a picturesque coastal town to a destination of wealth and status. It’s a location that many can visit, but few can really afford, and it’s dramatically popular among the world’s roster of celebrities.
It’s a destination littered with Mediterranean villas, yachts moored in the harbor, and luxurious restaurants. Reportedly, the natural beauty of the surrounding area caused a whole host of artists to flock to the area as early as the mid-nineteenth century.
In recent years, the likes of Naomi Campbell, Bono, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce and Jay-Z, and Elton John have been spotted enjoying the luxury of Saint-Tropez. There’s an air of glamour and extravagance in Saint-Tropez that is almost unmatched, even along the Riviera.
Of course, there is plenty of competition, with locations like Monaco throwing their wealthy and opulent hats in the ring. However, for a relaxing and exclusive seafront stay, few places can beat Saint-Tropez.
Although, with that information in mind, it might seem bizarre that Saint-Tropez is actually quite difficult to get to. The tiny town doesn’t have its own train station, and there certainly isn’t an airport located nearby.
If you want to fly to Saint-Tropez, you’ll need to board a plane destined for Nice, an international airport located just over an hour away from Saint-Tropez. Alternatively, you can take a train to one of the nearby stations, such as Saint Raphael or Les Arcs-Draguignan, both around half an hour away from the town.
Ultimately, if you’re feeling particularly flush, you can board a private yacht and sail into Saint-Tropez’ harbor, in full view of all the holidaymakers there. It’s the most extravagant way to arrive, closely followed by the chartering of a private helicopter.
It might seem a little pretentious, but it certainly isn’t an irregular occurrence where Saint-Tropez is concerned. At the peak of summer, celebrities arrive in this manner on an almost daily basis, as they make the journey to spend a weekend in the gem of the French Riviera.
Thankfully, Saint-Tropez is perfectly accessible by car, as proven by the expensive vehicles littered around the town. It doesn’t matter if you choose to fly into Nice or get the train to Saint Raphael, you’ll always end up driving into Saint-Tropez.
Or, if you’re wealthy enough, you’ll be driven into the town.