2024-08-17 16:54:55
Once a sleepy fishing village – Saint Tropez, this beautiful town on the French Riviera has become one of the most overcrowded Mediterranean summer destinations, writes the BBC, quoted by BNT.
St. Tropez, probably the most famous fishing village in the world, not-so-subtly tells tourists to stay away during peak season: “Don’t come in summer.” The mayor of Saint-Tropez, Sylvie Siri, spoke earlier this year about an event called Secret St-Tropez, which aims to promote the city as an off-season destination. “Come in the spring, then St. Tropez is like from our childhood.”
Located on the French Riviera midway between Marseille and Nice, Saint-Tropez was little more than a quiet, out-of-the-way promontory until the 20th century, when bohemian artists and later movie stars were drawn to its Provençal beauty. Over the past decades, this once sleepy fishing community has transformed into a luxurious haven for yachtsmen and partygoers – and in the process has become one of the most crowded summer destinations in the Mediterranean, with more than 80,000 visitors a day between July and August , “flood” the village with 4,000 inhabitants.
According to Clara Rondini, a member of the Rondini family, makers of Tropezienne sandals, who have lived and worked in Saint-Tropez since 1927, the city has lost its charm due to excessive tourism:
“Everything is done for money,” she says. “Une machine à fric” (money machine), we would say in French. It’s sad because at the end of the day, St. Tropez is a peaceful place, with nature, fresh air, nice beaches, simple rosé wine and pétanque.”
Tour guide Frédéric Shannon-Lecomte agrees that St. Tropez is a different place in high season:
“If you come in the summer, you’ll see the sun, the restaurants, the beach clubs… but that’s it. We don’t hate the peak season because it allows us to survive, but it’s important to understand that it’s only one part of the picture of Sen Trope. We’re happy in the summer when it’s crowded, but we also love the winter when we can reclaim the village.”
Under Mayor Siri, St. Tropez is trying to become more of a year-round destination. While summertime is home to celebrities, luxury yachts and hotels, and outrageous party scenes on Pamplona Beach, an off-season visit allows travelers to see and feel the town as it once was, where fishing boats deliver the catch, wisteria blooms herald the appearance of the bougainvillea, and the jetties lead to the clear blue sea (without the numerous motor boats, swimmers that crowd it every summer).
According to Valerie Vanden-Boshe, a tour guide, the mayor does not want St. Tropez to be just a tourist destination, Siri wants local services to be accessible to the city’s 4,000 residents and is investing in a better library, grocery stores and accommodation for affordable prices. After all, says Vanden-Bosche, to breathe life into this place, we need to make sure that local residents can afford to live in it.