BLACKBOOK THE RIGHT ADDRESSES SANDALS The French novelist Colette was one of the first celebrities to buy a pair of the simple leather sandals that the Atelier Rondini has been making on the premises since 1927. Like everything else in the shop, the signature Tropézienne gladiator sandals can be purchased only here. At 18 Rue Georges Clémenceau; rondini.fr JEWELLERY More than 45 years ago, André Gas, fresh out of Paris’s Ecole des Beaux-Arts, walked the beaches of St Tropez selling his bracelets and earrings crafted from materials like plated silver and turquoise. He opened his first store here in 1971 and still oversees artisans whose work is sold in Gas Bijoux boutiques in Marseille, Paris, Milan and New York. At Place de la Garonne; gasbijoux.com VINTAGE Those looking to buy classic pieces from past collections by the likes of Hermès, Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Vuitton should visit Le Dépôt, which specialises in gently used haute couture high-end jewellery, bags and accessories. At 6 Bd Louis Blanc; +33 4 9497 8010 WINE Long before this fishing village became an international resort, wine was one of its chief attractions. Founded in 1908, Vignobles de Saint-Tropez specialises in red, white and rosé as well as homemade vin du pays. Try the Château La Moutte 2011 or the Grande Réserve 2011. At Av Paul Roussel; cave-saint-tropez.fr ART Any trip to St Tropez should include a visit to La Maison des Papillons museum, with its displays of 35,000 butterfly species curated by painter Dany Lartigue, son of famed Clockwise from top left: Marcel et Cavazza’s tarte Tropézienne; Frisson’s lingerie; feather necklaces from Gas Bijoux; decorative boxes from Marinette; wine at Vignobles de Saint-Tropez; jewellery at Gas Bijoux photographer J H Lartigue. Much of Dany’s own work captures St Tropez in its storied heyday; his atelier is upstairs. At 17 Rue Etienne Berny; +33 4 9497 6345 LINGERIE For 15 years, Frisson showcased the most elegant French lingerie – by Marjolaine and Chantal Thomass, among others – but only in Courchevel, in the Alps. Five months ago, a second boutique opened in St Tropez. At 2 Rue Jean Mermoz; +33 4 9454 2792 TARTE TROPEZIENNE Polish-born Alexandre Micka landed here in 1945 and opened a bakery where his specialty was a vanilla pastry with cream filling. While shooting ... And God Created Woman here in 1955, Brigitte Bardot suggested he give a special name to the little cake she loved, and the tarte Tropézienne was born. It’s now found all over St Tropez – pop into Marcel et Cavazza, where the owner will wrap gift desserts in a box decorated with photos of cakes. At 29 Rue Georges Clémenceau; +33 4 9497 8353 MEN’S SWIMWEAR Beginning with its first marine-print design, created when the founder cut a St Tropez café tablecloth in 1971, Vilebrequin has evolved into the world’s foremost luxury swimwear brand for men and boys. The collection includes more than 150 suits in up to 75 vibrant colours. At 1 Rue Jean Mermoz; vilebrequin.com CHIC BOUTIQUE Martine Chambon, the archetypal St Tropez boutique, offers the latest looks from the likes of Balenciaga, Chloé, Stella McCartney and Rick Owens mixed in with carefully selected up-and-coming talent. At 62 Rue François Sibilli; martinechambon.com HOME DECOR For exquisite table linens, candles, candleholders and the like, stop off at design landmark Marinette. At 4 Rue Georges Clémenceau; marinettedecoration.com CHILDRENSWEAR For more than 30 years, Rose Câlin has carried all the top kids’ labels – Baby Dior, Bonpoint, Tod’s Junior and Moncler, among others. Well curated, the preppy styles are a relief from the flashier looks offered elsewhere in town. At 27 Rue Georges Clémenceau; +33 4 9454 8254 D E PA R T U R E S at - I N T E R N AT For a St Tropez cheat sheet on where to eat and imbibe, go online VINCENT FERRANE I O N A L . C O M 30 departures-international.com CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS m o r e S e e
Model shown is a Porsche Cayman S at £51,724 including 20-inch SportTechno wheels, Bi-Xenon lighting system with Dynamic Light System (PDLS), 12 months road fund licence and first registration fee. The Power of Balance. The new Cayman models are the distillation of a Porsche bloodline 60 years in development. Illustrious forebears such as the 550 Coupé and 917 Le Mans winner harnessed the benefits of the mid-engined layout to deliver success both on and off the race track. Of course, these icons of the past also help us to engineer our future. Thanks to powerful Boxer engines and lightweight engineering, a low polar moment of inertia and a low centre of gravity, the new Cayman models deliver a masterclass in poise and precision. A masterclass that is true to Porsche’s guiding principle of intelligent performance. Discover more at www.porsche.co.uk/balance Official fuel economy figures for the Porsche Cayman Range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 23.2-24.8 (12.2-11.4), 40.9-44.8 (6.9-6.3), Combined 32.1-34.4 (8.8-8.2), CO 2 emissions: 206-192g/km.
