The perfect resort holiday

Two of the three most photographed women in the world, Princess Diana and Bridgette Bardot (the third being Marilyn Monroe) have a Saint Tropez connection. Read on…

The harbor at Saint Tropez with its clear blue skies, shimmering blue waters for miles, gleaming yachts with their bright white sails filled with a gentle breeze. The sun, naturally programmed, to act off as the temperature reaches 24 degree Celsius.

Old and new
I looked behind, as the Boston Whaler that had been gliding out of Saint Tropez harbour, suddenly accelerated. The familiar yellow — orange clock tower, the old structures with russet hues and the terraced cafes of the harbour quickly faded in the distance. Within 20 minutes we are well into the Gulf of Saint Tropez and as the old castle became a faint silhouette, the skipper pointed out to the water front homes of the rich and famous.

A dash of history
A week before her tragic death, Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed had frolicked in the waters around the Al Fayed home. And then Bridgette Bardot’s La Madrague, with its distinct small tower like pillars, supporting the gate. It’s a bit like “Millionaire Row” actually, except that each fabulous home, faces the ocean. It is a favourite with the Hiltons (Paris apparently is a regular), and Elton John among others. The one that really catches my attention is the last one — it belongs to Tatyana Yeltsin.

Saint Tropez is one of the remotest places among the well-known places in Cote d' Azur and I believe it is kept remote by design. Nice is the most convenient airport, if you want to get to Cannes, Monte Carlo, Saint Tropez, Saint Raphel or Saint Maxime. It’s easy enough to get to Cannes from Nice — a free shuttle coach, every half an hour. To get to Saint Tropez, however, is another story. There is no direct coach or train. You either take a train to Saint Raphael and then a coach to Saint Tropez or a taxi directly to Saint Tropez that will set you back by almost 300 Euros. The best thing to do of course, is to rent a car. You can then do a couple of days in each village, along the way. The drive along the coast is absolutely breath taking — great ocean views, splendid restaurants and wonderful people.

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Fact file
St Tropez is a a resort town in South of France. The closest airports are Nice and Marseille.