ST TROPEZ - In the beginning there were the Greeks who brought the wheel, then the Romans arrived with their togas, and finally Brigitte Bardot, who never wore much at all.
The Brigitte Bardot story began where I am sitting now, on a sandy beach just west of St Tropez on the Mediterranean, the same place where the U.S. Army landed in 1944. If the troops had known what was to happen 11 years later they might not have dashed off the beach so quickly.It was then that Brigitte Bardot came here to film And God Created Woman, and in the process put St Tropez on the map.
The film crew left another creation; a café which grew out of a beach cottage whose owner was asked to provide meals and seized the opportunity to start what is now an elegant operation - Club 55. Here the rich and occasionally famous arrive by yacht and exotic cars, rent a mat to lie in the sun, then enjoy languid lunches. At the end of the day, after a final glass of chilled Provence rose, not a few make their way back to the Byblos, the most glamorous hotel in what might be the most talked about place on earth.
Well, let’s say Europeans are fascinated by St Tropez because it is their Hollywood, a place where publicity-seeking celebrities in a yacht too large or a dress too small will pull the paparazzi. It is also the first stop for anyone who has made money, whether instant Internet millionaire or Russian gangster.
Even Lonely Planet , a guide not to be confused with the magazines favored by lowbrow dentists’ waiting rooms, cannot resist listing St Tropez residents past and present from Matisse to Marlene Dietrich, French rocker Johnny Hallyday, Joan Collins and Pink Floyd (As I reach for a peach/Slide a line down behind a sofa in San Tropez).
Fame has changed what was once a quiet little harbor lined with the simple homes of fishermen. Sumptuously big yachts have forced out the fishing boats, and owners and their guests dine on stern decks within spitting distance of crowds of gawkers on the quay. You have to be seriously rich and terminally stupid to bring a boat here.
Having said that, St Tropez is irresistible. The narrow streets are a maze of pastel-colored buildings sprinkled with shuttered windows. As you’d expect all the designer shops are here, but so are places where you can buy a fresh baguette or the local tarte Tropezienne, a wonderful sponge cake full of custard cream. The Tuesday and Saturday market at Place des Lices is one of the best in France.
The rest of the week and in the evenings Place des Lices reverts to being a shady square where men play petanque. If this is too energetic head for the port and a café such as Le Gorille and watch the passing parade. At night St Tropez’s restaurants overflow on to the sidewalks. This is the time to search for the best menu and the freshest seafood. First of all have a drink on the tiny balcony of the Hotel Sube overlooking the port. Here you can see the sidewalk artists putting the finishing touches to their paintings.
Dinner at the Hotel Byblos puts a strain on the budget but is a memorable experience. The courtyard of the hotel is quiet other than a piano in the background, the setting sun throws shadows over the pool and candlelight and flowers provide an overture to a Provencal feast.
An even better idea is to check in, and here it helps to be rich if not famous.
Exclusive might be the word for a hotel with just 50 rooms and 47 suites, all of them different, but nicely done to create a village within a village effect. The interior décor is striking and never dull; the exterior a mix of blues like the houses in the port as well as yellows and reds from Lombardy.
Service, as you might expect, is superb. The hotel can arrange golf at local courses, get you a table at its nightclub Les Caves du Roy, an experience not to be missed, and take you by private shuttle to Tahiti beach, where beach mats, a shelter from the sun and good food await. If you ask him nicely, the concierge could also rent you a yacht so you can cruise along the Riviera and arrive at Club 55 in style. Easiest way to get there is take British Airways daily non-stop flight from Vancouver to London, connect to Nice, and rent a car
No comments:
Post a Comment