Citadelle Saint-Tropez

The Citadelle de Saint-Tropez crowns the hill above the old town and the harbour, and for centuries it has defined the town's silhouette from the sea. It was built to defend the coast from naval attack, with work beginning at the end of the sixteenth century and continuing into the seventeenth, in the period before the great fortification systems of Vauban. The plan is a bastioned polygon, with thick stone walls and ramparts that follow the contours of the hill, and a tall hexagonal keep at its centre. Both the keep and the surrounding walls are protected as historic monuments.

The fortress was designed for artillery, and from the ramparts you see why the site was chosen. The view extends across the Golfe de Saint-Tropez to the hills and villages on the far shore, east towards Cap Camarat, and back over the red-tiled roofs of the old town, the harbour and the church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. A walk along the ramparts is the main pleasure of a visit, and the best time to go is late afternoon, when the light softens, the colours of the water deepen and the heat has eased. Information boards along the way explain the layout, and the walls, towers and sentry boxes provide plenty of photographic subjects.

The keep now houses the Musée d'Histoire Maritime, which was renovated in the 2010s and covers more than five hundred years of the sea-going history of the town. You can read about the fishermen, shipbuilders and captains of Saint-Tropez, the hydrographic school and the other trades connected with the sea, and see ship models, paintings and objects from the age of sail. The museum also treats the landings of August 1944, when Allied forces came ashore along this stretch of the Provençal coast, a reminder that Saint-Tropez has a history beyond its reputation as a resort. The fortress itself is the first reason for the climb, with the museum as a bonus.

The Citadelle is a sensible first stop on a visit to Saint-Tropez, because it gives you a sense of the town's geography before you explore the streets below. The climb from the port takes about fifteen minutes on foot, and the walk passes quiet streets away from the crowds of the quays. Afterwards, the old fishing district of La Ponche, the Place des Lices with its plane trees and market, and the Port de Saint-Tropez are within a short walk, while the beaches at Pampelonne and the Jardin des Salins lie farther out.

The site suits families, history enthusiasts and photographers. Allow one to two hours, with extra time for the museum. Opening hours and prices can change from season to season, so check the Citadelle's own information before you go, and wear comfortable shoes with good grip, because the paths are steep and the stones can be uneven.