Saint-Tropez was one of the parts of our South of France trip I was super excited about, and I’m really glad we were able to stay for a few days instead of trying to squeeze it into a day trip.

It definitely has a different feel from the rest of the Riviera. Nice felt much more about getting up, hopping on a train, and exploring somewhere new. Saint-Tropez was almost the opposite. Our days revolved around where we were going for lunch, which beach club we had booked, wandering around town, shopping, and then figuring out what we wanted to do that night.

It was also easily the most expensive stop on our trip. I expected that going in, but wow, it still adds up fast once you start layering in beach clubs, drinks, dinners, rideshares, and shopping.

We stayed for three days and I thought that was the perfect amount of time. It gave us enough time to to explore and enjoy without spending the entire trip rushing from one reservation to another.

Here’s exactly how I’d plan 3 days in Saint-Tropez!

Quick Deets: Saint-Tropez Itinerary

• How many days do you need in Saint-Tropez?
  • I’d plan for at least 2-3 days if you’re looking to explore the town, Pampelonne Beach, beach clubs, shopping, and a few of the restaurants without rushing.
• Is Saint-Tropez expensive?
  • Definitely. This was easily one of the most expensive parts of our French Riviera trip, especially when you add in beach clubs, restaurants, drinks, shopping, and all of the little extras.
• Do you need reservations?
  • Yes, for sure. Almost everything we wanted to do required a reservation, especially restaurants and beach clubs. I’d book your top spots at least 2-3 weeks in advance.
• Do you need a car?
  • Not necessarily. Saint-Tropez town itself is extremely walkable, and we mostly used Bolt and Uber to get out toward Pampelonne and Ramatuelle since we wanted to drink at the beach clubs.
• Is three days too much for Saint-Tropez?
  • We didn’t think so! You could technically see the town in a day, but I wouldn’t come all the way here just to check off the port and leave.
• Should you stay overnight or visit from Nice?
  • If Saint-Tropez is high on your list, it’s worth it to stay overnight. You want the time to explore and actually enjoy the beach clubs, long lunches, and nights out.

3 Days in Saint-Tropez at a Glance

• DAY 1: Arrive in Saint-Tropez → Sable → walk the port + shop → sunset drinks at Le Tigrr → dinner at Noto
• DAY 2: La Réserve à la Plage → late lunch at Gigi → Sénéquier if you want the iconic red-chair moment → ice cream + drinks in town
• DAY 3: Place des Lices Market → more shopping → late lunch at Shellona → stay for the DJ → Pablo if you leave early and still want dinner

Do You Need a Car in Saint-Tropez?

We didn’t rent a car for this part of the trip and it ended up being completely fine without one, though we did think about it. The hardest part about not having a car is just getting to Saint-Tropez. Once you’re there, the town itself is quite small and very walkable.

You won’t need a car to get between dinner and drinks in town, but for the beach clubs and anything out towards Pampelonne or Ramatuelle, we used rideshares to get around.

That was honestly the easiest option for us because we knew we’d be having drinks during the day and didn’t want to think about driving afterward.

If you’re not drinking and want more flexibility, having a car would definitely be useful. I just wouldn’t say it’s necessary for this itinerary.

How Much Time Do You Really Need in Saint-Tropez?

I really liked having three days here.

You could absolutely walk around Saint-Tropez town in one day, see the port, shop, have lunch, and leave. But I don’t think that allows you time to get the true feel for Saint-Tropez.

There’s so much fun in spending a few hours at the beach, letting lunch stretch way longer than you planned, coming back to the hotel to get ready, and then heading out again at night for hours.

Two days would still be fun if you’re short on time, but three felt like we got the full experience. Honestly, if I could do it again, I’d even try to add an extra day so we could explore even more!

3 Days in Saint-Tropez Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Saint-Tropez & Explore Town

I’d keep your first day really simple and spend it exploring and getting to know the town.

After spending so much of our French Riviera trip jumping on trains and taking day trips, it was nice to check in, drop our bags, and just wander for the afternoon. We stayed at a cute little Airbnb in the center of town, which made this all the easier.

Stop at Saddle for Coffee

Once you’re settled, I’d start with a coffee or matcha at Saddle before wandering around town.

It’s an easy little stop before you head toward the port and start wandering around. And who doesn’t like a little caffeine before moving around for the day. Their matcha is amazing, but expect to pay over 10 Euro for one.

If you get into Saint-Tropez later in the day, you can always move this to another morning.

Walk Around the Port

From there, make your way to the port.

This is obviously the Saint-Tropez everyone comes to see first — huge yachts lined up along the water, packed cafés, pastel buildings, and plenty of people watching.

There’s no set itinerary you need to follow here. Just walk around the port, and once you’ve had enough of the yachts, start making your way up into the streets behind the port, where you’ll find all the little shops.

We really just walked the entire city this day, which helped us get a better lay of the land for the rest of the trip.

Go Shopping in Saint-Tropez

I actually loved the shopping in Saint-Tropez.

You have all of the designer stores, but there are also tons of cute little boutiques mixed throughout town, so it’s really fun to just wander and pop into whatever catches your eye.

You’ll find CHANEL, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and plenty of other luxury stores, but they’re not all sitting in one giant shopping district. You’ll be walking down a little street, pass a designer store, turn a corner, and find a smaller boutique right next to it.

I love a small boutique shop, and there are so many to pop-into here. Below were some of my favorites:

• Rondini: The classic stop for handmade Tropéziennes sandals.
• Les Galeries Tropéziennes: Cute clothing, accessories, and home pieces.
• Cheyenne Attitude: More relaxed, beachy Saint-Tropez clothing and accessories.
• Mana Saint-Tropez: Another cute boutique to pop into while you’re wandering around town.
• Marinette Saint-Tropez: Really cute beach bags, towels, toiletry bags, and little vacation-y pieces that also make good souvenirs.

I wouldn’t make shopping here too structured, though. A lot of the stores are tucked into the little streets around town, and some of the cutest places we found were ones I didn’t have saved beforehand.

Go to Le Tigrr for Sunset Drinks

Before dinner, walk up to Le Tigrr for sunset drinks.

This ended up being one of my favorite spots for a cocktail because the terrace overlooks Saint-Tropez and the view around sunset is so pretty.

It was also one of the rare places where we could just show up for drinks without a reservation.

That said, I would definitely go early. It gets packed as sunset approaches, and I’d much rather arrive a little before golden hour, grab a good spot, order a drink, and hang out, rather than show up at peak sunset and hope something opens up.

We ended up splitting a bottle of wine and stayed for two hours enjoying the views before heading back towards the port for dinner.

Have Dinner at Noto

After drinks, head down to Noto, which is on the main strip of the port. This was one of the most fun nights we had all trip!

It starts off feeling like a normal restaurant on the port. We split some chicken and fish, and had espresso martinis that were amazing. But around 11 p.m., the vibe really starts to pick up.

All of a sudden, you’ll notice the music cuts and live musicians start performing around the room, coming table to table, and then next thing you know, the music is blasting and people are dancing everywhere. And when I say dancing everywhere, I mean on the tables and chairs, too.

Dinner completely became our night out without us having to leave our dinner table, and it was such a fun way to spend our first night in Saint-Tropez.

If you want one big, dressed-up night while you’re here, Noto is worth checking out!

Day 2: Pampelonne Beach & Gigi Ramatuelle

I’d plan most of your second day around hanging out at Pampelonne Beach.

This was also the day that made me realize you really don’t want to stack too many reservations here because once you settle into a beach club, you probably won’t want to leave two hours later.

Spend the Morning at La Réserve à la Plage

Our original plan was to spend the morning at La Réserve à la Plage and then head to Gigi for a 2:30 lunch reservation, but we sadly woke up to a bit of rain, which threw off our timing.

The weather cleared around noon, but by then we only would have had a couple of hours at the beach club before needing to leave again for Gigi. We decided that would cut way too much into our beach day, so we ended up skipping Gigi and staying at La Réserve longer.

Honestly, I’m glad we did because our server was absolutely amazing and completely made the day for us. Service in Saint-Tropez could be a little hit or miss, so having someone who was so warm, attentive, and fun really stood out.

Once the rain cleared, we were able to actually enjoy the beach, order several Sarti Spritzes, have a great lunch (get the tuna ceviche and fries!), and hang out without worrying about making it to the next place. The water was amazing, and it was really just lovely being there. We didn’t even end up leaving until 5PM.

If you get a full sunny morning, though, I would absolutely do both. Spend a few hours at La Réserve, enjoy the beach, then head over to Gigi for a late lunch.

Have Lunch at Gigi Ramatuelle

Even though we skipped Gigi, I still really wanted to go and I would keep it in this itinerary. It was one of the places I was most excited about!

I’d book a later lunch and give yourself plenty of time there.

Just make sure you get to La Réserve early enough that you don’t feel like you’re rushing through the beach club just to make lunch. I would probably treat Gigi as the main event for the afternoon and not plan much after it.

That day definitely taught me not to stack too many reservations in Saint-Tropez. It’s way more fun when you leave enough time to actually enjoy where you are.

Head Back Into Saint-Tropez

After a beach day and late lunch, I would not book another huge dinner. Go back to the hotel, shower, get ready, and then head back into town whenever you feel like it.

I liked having one night without a set plan because almost everything else in Saint-Tropez felt so scheduled.

Get the Sénéquier Burger for the Experience

If you’re hungry later, this is where I’d do Sénéquier, the iconic bright red chair restaurant right on the port.

This place is such an iconic Saint-Tropez scene, and truthfully, it is a very good place to sit, people-watch, look at the yachts, and take in the whole ridiculous Saint-Tropez scene.

But I would not come here expecting an amazing meal and the best service of your life.

The burger is very expensive, and though it was really good, we felt the food did not match the price. And on top of that, we didn’t find the wait staff to be very nice. You really are paying for the location and the iconic experience as much as anything else.

So if you know what expect going in, I still think it’s worth doing, but definitely don’t set your expectation too high!

Grab Ice Cream & Have a Nightcap

Afterward, I’d get ice cream down the street at Glacé Cyril Lignac and wander around the port. If you’re looking for a little nightcap, grab a drink somewhere along the port, but keep this night easy.

There was something really nice about having nowhere we absolutely had to be after spending so much of the trip working around reservations.

Day 3: Place des Lices Market & Shellona

If your trip falls on a Tuesday or Saturday, I’d start this day at the market. Then I’d leave most of the rest of the day open for one of my favorite beach clubs, Shellona.

Start With La Tarte Tropézienne

Before heading to the market, stop at La Tarte Tropézienne for coffee and one of their famous tarte tropéziennes.

It’s basically the pastry Saint-Tropez is known for, so this is an easy thing to work into one morning without having to make it a whole event. I’d grab one to split, have a coffee, and then head over to Place des Lices.

Start at the Place des Lices Market

If your trip falls on a Tuesday or Saturday, be sure to check out the Place des Lices Market after breakfast.

The market runs on just these mornings, and takes over the big square just a few blocks inland from the port, right in the center of Saint-Tropez. It’s super easy to walk to from anywhere in town, and you’ll know you’re getting close once you start seeing the stalls spill out around the square.

You’ll find produce, food, tons of clothing, baskets, little accessories, and home decor pieces — really a little bit of everything.

Plan to go earlier rather than later, especially in summer, because it gets much busier as the morning goes on. It’s just a fun place to explore and shop before you head back out for the day.

Head to Shellona for a Late Lunch & Stay for the DJ

Then head back toward Pampelonne for a late lunch at Shellona.

Shellona generally has an earlier lunch seating and then a second, later seating around 3:00–3:30 p.m. If your main goal is lunch and you don’t really care about staying for the party, the earlier seating is totally fine.

If you want the full Shellona experience, though, I would absolutely try for the second seating. That puts you there as the music starts building into the afternoon, and you don’t have to worry about finishing lunch right when everything is starting to get fun.

The DJ lineup changes throughout the summer, and they bring in some pretty big names alongside their regular DJs, so I would check who is playing on your date before you book. The vibe is very much Ibiza/Mykonos-style house music, and depending on the DJ, the party can get pretty big later in the afternoon! We saw Max Styler when we were here, and it was amazing.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that for bigger names, the second seating can sometimes come with a hefty minimum spend. We opted to do a 1:30 p.m. seating and stay for the DJ afterwards to avoid the $300 per person minimum that day for the table!

Regardless, if you like music, plan to stay here awhile!

If You Leave Early, Have Dinner at Pablo

If you end up leaving Shellona earlier and still want a proper dinner back in Saint-Tropez, Pablo would be my pick.

I’d make a reservation if you already know you want to go because, at this point, you should probably assume anything you really care about doing in Saint-Tropez needs to be booked.

Otherwise, I would plan to keep the evening more lax. After a long lunch and hours at Shellona, you may be perfectly happy going back to your hotel and calling it a night.

What to Know Before Visiting Saint-Tropez

• Book the places you really care about ahead of time.
  • Saint-Tropez was much more reservation-heavy than the rest of our Riviera trip. Beach clubs, lunches, and the best dinner spots all require advance reservations.
• Budget more for these few days.
  • This was easily the most expensive stop on our trip. Beach clubs, cocktails, dinners, rideshares, and shopping add up quickly — and yes, sometimes that includes paying way too much for a burger because you want the red chair at Sénéquier.
• The service can be hit or miss.
  • We had some amazing service, especially at La Réserve, and some that felt pretty indifferent. At a few of the more iconic spots, you’re definitely paying for the setting more than the food or service.
• Don’t stack your beach club days.
  • If you’re going somewhere like Gigi or Shellona, leave enough time to actually enjoy it. A late lunch can easily turn into most of your afternoon, and that was honestly some of the most fun we had in Saint-Tropez.

My Take on Saint-Tropez

I really loved spending 3 days in Saint-Tropez. It’s expensive, a little over the top, and not the easiest place to do spontaneously, but I still think it’s absolutely worth adding to a bigger French Riviera trip.

Three days felt perfect for us. We had enough time to actually enjoy the beach clubs, long lunches, shopping, and nights out without feeling like we were constantly running to the next reservation.

If I were planning it again, I’d book the places I really cared about, leave even more space between them, and expect to spend a little more than I did everywhere else. Saint-Tropez was definitely the splurge part of our trip, but it was also one of the most fun!

Continuing through the French Riviera? My 3 Days in Nice itinerary is a good place to keep planning from here.