The History of Saint-Tropez

During your stay at our hotel on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, you will have plenty of time to discover the history of Saint-Tropez. It begins in… Pisa, at least as far as the origin of its name is concerned. It was in that city that Caius Silvius Torpetius, steward of Nero’s palace, was put to death by the Emperor for his conversion to Christianity. Legend has it that his body was placed in a boat, accompanied by a rooster and a dog, and that the winds carried this strange vessel to the shores of the gulf, which was first named San Torpes and later Saint-Tropez. But long before this mythical event, the site of Saint-Tropez was appreciated by the Etruscans, Greeks, and Romans, who had established trading posts there. At the end of the 15th century, following the arrival of several Genoese families, the city became increasingly prosperous. Tropézien activity was then primarily focused on the sea: fishing, coastal shipping, and shipyards. A new golden age began at the end of the 19th century when artists such as Guy de Maupassant and Paul Signac discovered the light and beauty of the area. Saint-Tropez then became a fashionable destination, and its fame spread beyond national borders when Roger Vadim filmed "And God Created Woman" there in 1956, starring an actress forever associated with the town's history: Brigitte Bardot. The seaside resort then established itself as an essential vacation spot for celebrities from all over the world and for the tourists who dream of crossing paths with them.