Villa Chanceaux

Villa Chanceaux enjoys a fantastic location overlooking the town and Gulf of Saint Tropez, in one of the most popular parts of the French Riviera.

This former fishing village came to fame in the 1950s thanks, in part, to Brigitte Bardott’s films and today Saint Tropez is known as a sizzling jet-set playground. Exclusive beach clubs and fancy yachts now line the waterfront while the town centre is a shopper’s paradise, packed with trendy boutiques. The streets around Rue Gambetta and Rue Allard are sprinkled with shoe shops, chocolate shops, boutiques, antique emporiums and art galleries.

In low season the town still enjoys its a quaint, village-feel and visitors can meander its cobbled lanes in the old fishing quarter of La Ponche, sip pastis in charming cafes and watch locals play petanque beneath towering plane trees. For a bit of culture, the old town, next to the Vieux Port, is a brilliant place to potter around and discover historic sites including the 18th-century Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption. The town’s Citadel, built to defend the coastline against pirates and other attackers, is also worth a visit, as is the Chapelle Ste-Anne.

This peninsula is also home to countless seaside towns and charming villages such as including Port-Grimaud, Sainte Maxime and Saint-Aygulf. Each of these coastal destinations offers quality restaurants serving delicious sea food, pretty harbours and glorious beaches and can be reached by car in 20-40 minutes.

The picturesque village of Gassin is further inland, just a 10-minute drive away and boasts sensational views. It is officially one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’ and a destination of culture and walking, while its hilltop perch and claim over the surrounding scenery plus its wonderful restaurants make it an unbeatable spot for lunch.

La Croix Valmer is another must-visit town on the peninsula and is just a 15-minute car journey away. It has a lovely sandy beach and backs onto the Maures Massif, some of which is a protected nature reserve.  

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.