Villa Ansel

Guests will adore Villa Ansel’s extensive grounds in the lush pine clad hills of La Croix Valmer. It is an ideal location to relax, rejuvenate and spend time with family or friends. Visitors can enjoy amazing views and can explore the vineyards and historical remains in the area. La Croix Valmer’s weekly market is one of the most famous in the Gulf of Saint Tropez and a brilliant place to pick up local produce and wine. The village hosts some wonderful cultural events, exhibitions, concerts and festivals throughout the year.

If you fancy a trip to the beach, Plage de Jovat is fantastic for snorkelling with guided snorkelling sessions given by instructors of the Service Espaces Maritimes during the summer. Gigaro is beautiful and home to cicadas in the thousands and a blissful collection of coves, headlands and bays. Gigaro boasts magnificent sunsets and superb views of the islands, Iles d’Or, as well as a great collection of bars and restaurants. 

Gassin, a ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’, is only a mile away and is home to the narrowest street in the world. It has sensational elevated views extending to the snowy peaks of the Alps as well as the Gulf of Saint Tropez. The new town of Gassin, designed by François Spoerry, has been built below the medieval village and was awarded a prize for the best new town in Europe. Other highlights include: the Gassin Golf Country Club, perfect for the golfers in your group and Chateau Barbeyrolles, an excellent vineyard where you can taste and buy delicious rosé, red and white wines.

The charming village of Grimaud is another nearby wonder. It boasts stepped terraces and an air of calm reflection. Views from its medieval castle captivate visitors and its warren of narrow streets offer stairways, vaulted arches, art galleries and a mill. The Grimaldines welcome musicians from all over the world. 

Ramatuelle is also lovely with a charming central square, Ormeau. The village boasts a captivating, irresistible maze of winding streets sprinked with fountains, pretty houses and wrought iron décor. Its ochre façades and pastel toned shutters are adorned with fragrant jasmine, honeysuckle and vibrant bougainvillea. Close to Ramatuelle are the famous sandy Pampelonne beaches. 

The Old Town of Saint Tropez, next to the Vieux Port, is a great place to wander. The 18th century Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption towers over the terracotta rooftops. The Musée de l’Annonciade is the oldest modern art museum in France, dating back to 1922. The town is a shopper’s paradise, packed with trendy boutiques, shoe shops, chocolate shops, antique emporiums and art galleries. If you visit on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, you can visit the open-air market stalls at Place des Lices where you can stock up on freshly baked bread and delicious local produce. 

Read more about Saint Tropez

Once a traditional fishing village, Saint-Tropez is now one of the most glamourous destinations of the Côte d’Azur and welcomes visitors from across the world.

However, there’s more to Saint-Tropez bay than exclusive beach clubs, glitzy boutiques and fine dining restaurants. From the family-friendly beaches of Sainte-Maxime to the vineyards of La Croix Valmer, Oliver’s Travels guests can truly admire this enchanting corner of the French Riviera whilst staying in one of our handpicked villas in and around Saint-Tropez.

Soak up the luxurious yet laidback vibe of Saint-Tropez as you wander around its marina lined with huge yachts contrasting colourful fishermen’s houses overlooking the bay. The old quarter is a warren of winding lanes with French designer boutiques, picturesque cafes and restaurants whilst Place des Lices hosts a vibrant Provençal market on a Tuesday and Saturday morning. Enjoy the most glorious vistas from Saint-Tropez’s 17th century citadel and maritime museum. Boat trips are another superb way to tour this part of the coast and passenger ferries cross the bay.

Just south of the town, follow Brigitte Bardot’s footsteps as you visit one of Plage de Pampelonne’s exclusive beach clubs, the most famous being Le Club 55 (always book well in advance). Stretching over 5km, Pampelonne’s long sandy beach is also loved for its vast range of summer watersports including jet-skiing, windsurfing and paddleboarding.

The picture-perfect villages of Saint-Tropez bay are beautifully located to make the most of the French Riviera scenery. On the hillside overlooking Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle has attracted artists and writers over the years and is full of charm – look out for performances during its theatre and jazz festivals in the summer months. Meanwhile, hilltop Gassin is classified as one of France’s 'Plus Beaux Villages’ whilst flower-filled Grimaud is such a pretty medieval village with yet more stunning views of the coast.

Driving into the Maures hills, discover the characterful villages of La Garde-Freinet and Le Plan-de-la-Tour surrounded by oak and chestnut forests, a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, horse-riding enthusiasts and other outdoor adventurists.

Back to the coast, take a boat tour of Port Grimaud, known as the ‘little Venice of the Côte d’Azur’, and experience its atmospheric Monday evening summer market. Across the other side of the bay, Sainte-Maxime is a lovely sheltered seaside town with pretty cafes, a daily market and gorgeous beaches. Families adore this area – there are tree-top adventures, tennis, mini-golf, a water park and coastal paths for biking and hiking.

Golf-lovers can appreciate a choice of courses – Golf Blue Green as well as the prestigious Beauvallon Golf Club and Golf Club Saint-Tropez. Wine connoisseurs should head to the wine châteaux of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne as well as the vineyards of La Croix Valmer.

Not forgetting the idyllic shores of soft sand and crystal-clear sea of La Croix Valmer’s coastline from Plage de Sylvabelle to Plage de Gigaro, also home to a wonderful coastal walking trail with the most incredible flora and fauna alongside sensational views of the Mediterranean as you hike towards Cap Lardier and beyond.