From sun-drenched lunches to contemporary exhibitions, the PAD team shares where to seek cultural and sensory pleasures in Saint-Tropez this summer.
FOR LUNCH ON THE BEACH: MOOREA PLAGE
In 1952, while Saint-Tropez was little more than a fishing port, a simple bamboo hut on the pearly sands of Pampelonne was already serving Provencal dishes to a handful of sun worshippers. Today, Moorea may have expanded to include a beach club and massage parlour, yet it retains echoes of the barefoot Riviera spirit that newer arrivals struggle to manufacture. Owner Christophe Coutal – an 8th-generation Tropezian – still greets guests personally, the cicadas hum in the surrounding pine trees and chilled rosé with grilled seafood proves as irresistible a pairing as ever.
FOR PROVENÇAL TRADITIONS: PÉTANQUE ON PLACE DES LICES
Long before Saint-Tropez became associated with superyachts and beach clubs, Provençal grandfathers in flat caps gathered beneath the plane trees of Place des Lices to drink pastis and play pétanque. From the days when it echoed with the clang of medieval jousting tournaments to the Saturday market that still draws stalls selling everything from lavender to linen, the square has long functioned as the village’s living room. To mark its first edition in this iconic setting, PAD Saint-Tropez is organising a large-scale triples pétanque tournament on 1 July. The crowd promises to be an intriguing mix of locals, visitors and some of contemporary design’s most recognisable names.
The villages around Saint-Tropez have long attracted decorators and antique dealers searching for pieces with the sort of patina that cannot be manufactured. Every Sunday morning in Cogolin, Brocante Le Jas de Robert continues that tradition. Part flea market, part social ritual, this brocante has been drawing collectors and bargain hunters from across the Riviera for decades, its 150 stalls spread beneath swooping swifts and animated negotiations. Amid the jumble of Provençal ceramics, weathered mirrors and silverware, there is always the possibility of stumbling across the kind of unexpected treasure that will make even the most disciplined shopper reconsider their luggage allowance.
FOR POST-IMPRESSIONIST WORKS: HENRI PERSON AT MUSÉE DE L’ANNONCIADE
When painter Paul Signac first arrived in Saint-Tropez aboard his yacht L’Olympia in 1892, he declared: “Happiness – that is what I have just discovered.” Seduced by the golden light and sherbet-coloured buildings, the village became a crucible for artists including Matisse, Derain and Bonnard, who shaped the visual language of the Mediterranean. Today, their works, alongside those of many more modern artists, can be found in the Musée de l’Annonciade, a 16th century chapel overlooking the harbour. This summer the museum will host a major Henri Person exhibition before closing for a two-year renovation.
FOR PLAYFUL DESIGN: CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AT ISABELLE CASTANIER’S FAMILY HOME
Every summer since 2023, Saint-Tropez-born architect and designer Isabelle Castanier has transformed her family home on Place des Lices into a lived-in exhibition where contemporary design sits among the traces of everyday life. Built in 1789, the house has witnessed generations of family summers characterised by sandy feet on floorboards, improvised dens and bedtime stories. This year’s exhibition, Childhood Memories, invites designers including India Mahdavi, Marianna Ladreyt and Axel Chay to create pieces inspired by four key pillars of early life: huts, afternoon snacks, bath time and bedtime stories.
FOR CHARACTERFUL CERAMICS: FLORIAN DAGUET BRESSON’S SUMMER VIBES
Long overshadowed by painting and sculpture, ceramics is experiencing a renaissance. Collectors are increasingly drawn to works that manipulate material and form in unexpected ways, blurring the line between object and artwork. This summer, PAD exhibitor and internationally renowned ceramicist Florian Daguet Bresson brings that conversation to Domaine Fondugues Pradugues, a family run vineyard in the village of Ramatuelle just outside Saint Tropez. His exhibition, Summer Vibes, running between 2 July and 12 September, is characterised by his trademark wit and pioneering techniques.
In his second appearance in The Lodha Times, curator Lawrence Van Hagen invites readers into one of Venice’s most compelling exhibitions of the season, a striking exploration of Minimalism staged within the grand interiors of the De Cotiis Foundation.
