Place des Lices

The Place des Lices is the square where Saint-Tropez shows its everyday side, a short walk inland from the glossy harbour and the beaches. Its name comes from an old word for the lists, the enclosed field where medieval knights jousted, and the broad open space that this name suggests has been used for gatherings, games and markets for a very long time. Today the square is shaded by tall, old plane trees, and under their branches the mood is that of a Provençal village rather than a celebrity resort.

What drives the square's daily life is boules. On most mornings and afternoons, groups of men and women gather on the gravel to play pétanque, throwing the heavy metal balls with a flick of the wrist and arguing happily about the measurements. The scene has hardly changed for generations, and the cafés on the edge of the square, where locals sit with coffee or a glass of pastis, are as important to the place as the game itself. Visitors can pull up a chair, order a drink and watch, which is one of the simplest and most enjoyable things to do in Saint-Tropez.

Twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, the square turns into a market. Stalls sell fruit and vegetables, olives, cheeses, flowers, herbs, honey, fabrics and local crafts, and the aromas of tomatoes, basil and roasting chickens drift through the shade. It is a good place to put together a picnic for the beach, and a chance to meet local producers and to listen to the language of the stallholders. The market is popular, so go early to avoid the heat and the crowds.

The square has attracted artists for a long time. The painter Charles Camoin, a friend of Matisse and a member of the Fauve group, lived and worked in Saint-Tropez and painted scenes of the town, and the light that drew painters here in the early twentieth century still shapes the view. The village was the base of many artists and writers before it became famous for celebrities.

From the Place des Lices, it is easy to reach the other sights of Saint-Tropez. The Port de Saint-Tropez, with its yachts and quayside cafés, the Citadelle Saint-Tropez with the Musée de la Marine, the Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption with its colourful bell tower, and the old fishermen's quarter of La Ponche are all within walking distance. Beaches such as the Plage de Pampelonne and the Jardin des Salins lie farther away, and the capes of Cap Taillat and Cape Camarat offer wild coastline.

The square suits anyone who wants an unhurried morning, a taste of local life and a bite to eat. It is free and open at all times.