magical st tropez

The village of St Tropez is tiny, at least it used to be.  Of course with it's popularity for decades it now sprawls out a way along the coast, but it will never be a city.  It retains a certain magic.

In the 80's, before we had any children we lived in St Tropez and we lived it to the full!!  Even then it was no longer the sleepy little village made famous by Brigitte Bardot in the 60's, and that my husband, the Corsican, knew as a child, but it was still serious fun!

We worked hard, we siesta-d harder, we dined late and partied later... much later and we took a lot of vitamins!  We were lucky to live the side of St Tropez that the tourists never see.  The stunning villas, extravagant soirées, the artists and the entertainers who call St Tropez home.

We were lucky enough to know the beach called La Bastide Blanche, before the tourists found it, and used to go  there for sea urchins, armed with a bottle of white wine and a fresh lemon - heaven!

My favourite months were May and September; for the perfume on the breeze and the extraordinary colour and light.  I adored the yacht race, then called la Nioulargue in October, and would often find a few hours luxurious peace at the tiny art museum, l'Annonciade, where you can still see paintings by Dufy, Bonnard, Signac and other impressionists.

How about you?

Is there a mythical coastal town that has a special relevance to you?

all photos with thanks to google images