Wednesday, August 15, 2012

St. Tropez, France - A Sunday in St. Tropez


After dancing until dawn, we woke up at 11am on Sunday morning and dashed to grab our favorite breakfast: La Tarte Tropezienne, before driving the 7 minutes to the famous beach club Le Club 55. We had reservations for beach beds, but if you don’t show up by noon, they give them away. Those who arrive super early get the coveted first rows closest to the water’s edge. Once settled, we enjoyed our delicious breakfast on the beach.





You basically lounge all day and then break for lunch in their buzzing outdoor dining room, and then either return to your boat, take a swim, or lounge some more until the sun sets. Odds are, if you want to see someone famous while in St. Tropez, you will see them at Club 55. 


Bikini, Matthew Williamson for H&M. Sunglasses, Gucci. 
Mother of Pearl Alhambra Necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels 

Keep your eyes peeled on the famous dock, where celebrities arrive by a tender from their mega yachts anchored off shore. 



We decided to skip the boisterous dining room this time, and instead, we ate at the little beach bar right on the sand. How eco-chic are the benches and tables made from old pieces of driftwood?! From our table we had a cool breeze coming off the water and a perfect view of the turquoise sea. This is what summer is all about!


A light fare of sandwiches, salads, pastas and pizza is offered, as well as desserts and ice creams. Prices are a bit less shocking than the main dining area. 
AMAZING beef lasagne with creamy layers of bechamel (nice and light for a hot day at the beach, ha ha!)
What the French do best: a traditional ham and cheese baguette
A perfect cappuccino
Around 6pm we followed the crowds to the nearby Nikki Beach Club. Every Sunday starting at 4pm Dj Rom1 joins the Nikki Beach Family to spin his mix of tunes well into sunset. You will know that you have arrived when you see a parking lot full of super cars! 


Kaftan Matthew Williamson for H&M. Sunglasses, Gucci. 
Panama Hat, purchased on the island of Capri, Italy. 
Mother of Peal Alhambra Necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels 
We happened to be there during a Spartacus themed evening, where all of the staff were dressed as gladiators. Nikki Beach is just one big party: you drink, you dance around the pool scarcely dressed, and you take a shower in champagne. It’s absurd and excessive. Here is a clip from the day I was there, fast forward to minute 2:40 for the afternoon/evening party: 



The table next to me ordered so many bottles of champagne that it had to be delivered in a wheel barrel. When it arrived they shook every single bottle, popped the corks, and drenched their friends. I couldn’t help but lean way over when the bill arrived to catch a glimpse … total tab …. €17,000. This is the superfluousness for which St. Tropez is so famous, and personally, it is this extravagance that makes it a turn-off. 

Some creepy characters walking around on stilts
After Nikki Beach, we drove back to our hotel in the port and decided that this trip would not be complete without a dinner featuring a rotisserie chicken from the Rotisserie Tropezienne in the Place des Lices. I love these birds! 




We grabbed a baguette (just to be French, of course) and a bottle of local rose wine and set up the little table on our hotel room balcony overlooking the port just in time for the sunset.
View from our hotel room at the Hotel Sube
Rotisserie chicken, roasted vegetables, a baguette,
a bottle of rose wine and a billion dollar view: perfection! 

After dinner we showered and changed and got ready for another night out in port. 
Dress, Emilio Pucci. Evening bag, Gucci.
White gold and diamond pave cross necklace, Crivelli
We had a stroll around to see all of the new yachts that had pulled in and then went to the Cafe des Arts on the Place des Lices for a cocktail with friends. This is where all of the boulistes hang out who play boules in the park.

Our last stop of the day/night (what time was it anyway?) was the VIP Room nightclub for more champagne and dancing. We thought we were doing pretty well with our own beverage selection until... 


... the music stopped, the Star Wars theme song came on, sparklers were flying, and a hatch in the ceiling opened out of no where, and down two stories came a Methuselah (the equivalent of 8 bottles) of Dom Perignon lowered to a dance floor table full of Russians. 


As if that wasn't enough excitement, oh by the way, the famous singer Estelle just wanted to get up on stage and sing a few of her most popular songs:


For the absolute best and most accurate synopsis of St. Tropez life, make sure to check out Anthony Peregrine's article here. I couldn't have written it better myself.

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