THE PORT OF

SAINT-TROPEZ

Discover the Port of Saint-Tropez

With 734 moorings divided between two basins covering an area of nine hectares in the heart of the village, Saint-Tropez Harbour is a coveted port of call in the Mediterranean. Innovation and top quality services have made it one of the most famous marinas in the world.

Not only is Saint-Tropez a meeting place for captains of industry, an unrivalled centre of entertainment and events, and a driving force for the town’s economy, it has also managed to maintain its cultural diversity.

A team of 40 are engaged to welcome clients, be they afloat or ashore. They are there to organise moorings, ensure the safety and security of people and property, to manage the financial, legal and administrative side, keep the harbour clean, protect the environment, and maintain the facilities and equipment.

VIP Card

You are welcome to join the circle of our most regular well-known customers. Since 1999, Saint-Tropez Harbour has been offering a VIP Card which gives holders access to a number of useful services:

Benefits of the VIP Card
    • Opportunity to book more days in July and August upon availability
    • Register at any moment for the waiting list
    • Credit for 5 diver’s interventions
    • Access to the Saint-Tropez Lounge Club (private club) in the new Harbour Master’s Office
    • 2 Access to the car parks in the Nouveau Port
    • Free parking on the esplanade of the Harbour Master’s Office (depending on availability)

The VIP Card is in gold 18-carat and can be engraved with your name or the name of the boat.

Contact us for more information.

HISTORY

heart of the city

Historically, Saint-Tropez Harbour has always been an integral part of the town. Over the centuries in the French Mediterranean it has played a dominant role at different times in several fields: as a fishing port, trading port, marina and now a pied-a-terre for influential ground-breakers and experienced sailors.

It was in 1470 under the governance of Raphaël de Garezzio that the links between Saint-Tropez, the sea and its harbour were forged. A freshwater cove at the foot of the town became a harbour where fishing boats and coasters were moored. In the centuries which followed the harbour underwent several redevelopments to become the legendary harbour you see today.

Development of the town centred around its harbour. It became the focus of the town’s economy, with tartanes that exported produce from Saint-Tropez coming and going, as well as the iconic pointu fishing boats we can still see today. It was a hive of activity that also produced some intrepid Tropezien sailors and master mariners, who sailed the world’s oceans and whose names are engraved in stone and in our history books.

At the time, Saint-Tropez was already a reference for the maritime world and learning. The town’s School of Hydrography taught many sailors from 1791 to 1914. In the late 18th century, Saint-Tropez had the third largest fleet in the French Mediterranean (number of vessels and crew) after Marseille and La Ciotat. It was around this time that Saint-Tropez saw the emergence of boatyards (Bori, Anrigou and Sevoule) which built some of the largest sailing yachts of the era, vessels like Luminy (1836) and the three-mast La Reine des Anges (1860) for the merchant navy.

 

  • Vieux Port: it was in 1965 that the harbour’s main basin was officially named Vieux Port as it has been a hub of maritime activities for five centuries. Being a classified site and having been almost destroyed during the Second World War, it was rebuilt to be identical and improved by the addition of another basin.
  • Portalet Jetty: built at the end of the 15th century, it has undergone several improvements over the years including an extension and construction of the first lighthouse in 1869, which in turn was altered in 1999 while staying faithful to the original 19th century version.
  • Jean Lescudier Basin: as Saint-Tropez developed it was clear the harbour had to expand. In 1963, it was the then Mayor Louis Fabre who voted to expand it, although the project started in 1965 under the council led by Jean Lescudier. The result was a new basin covering five hectares and able to accommodate vessels up to 21m. It was not until 2009 that it was officially named the Jean Lescudier Basin.
  • Saint-Elme Tower: built in 1637 to protect the harbour entrance and is indentical to the Portalet Tower. In 1991, it became the premises of the Harbour Master’s Office. Since 2017, after the renovation works, the tower is open only during summer season to welcome customers.

SAINT-TROPEZ, THE MYTH

Most activities in Saint-Tropez are centred on the harbour area. In the 1950s, the village became famous worldwide through the media, giving birth to the legend that continues to this day. The harbour featured in many French films with big names headlining like Brigitte Bardot and Louis de Funès. Later it provided the ideal setting for the fashion world, many remember the Chanel fashion show and numerous visits by Karl Lagerfeld. A thriving prosperous environment attracted many celebrities charmed by the Mediterranean scenery and way of life. 

THE HARBOUR MASTER’S OFFICE

Since 2010, the town council under Mayor Jean-Pierre Tuveri and port director Jean-François Tourret had a road map of ambitious projects which have now been achieved. The principle is a simple one; the Harbour Master’s Office needed to be on a par with its customers and users; their satisfaction and a high-end level of service being our priority.

These projects began with an analysis of the facilities in the two basins. Maintenance work is carried out every year to ensure all is running smoothly. The harbour wall needed reinforcement. From 2011 to 2012 major works were carried out to fill space left by scouring at the foot of the wall with reinforced concrete blocks, and pontoons on the Mistral and Peri quays were changed. 

In 2015, one of the flagship projects was launched to renovate the Harbour Master’s Office (in total 650m² were renovated). The aim here was to improve overall performance and offer customers areas and services worthy of a five-star marina. The new Harbour Master’s Office was designed to showcase the essence of what Saint-Tropez has to offer: a blend of tradition with modern luxury facilities and authenticity.

This was the spirit underpinning the project. In fact, the new building looks exactly like an extension to the tower. The areas inside the tower have been redesigned to provide a much larger reception, and a new Business Area on the first floor. The latter has a fully functional meeting room which respects the tower’s architecture and exceptional view of the harbour.

At the same time, the new building benefits from an understated, refined modern architecture providing a more serene environment for harbour employees. On the first floor is the jewel in the harbour’s crown, the Saint-Tropez Lounge Club, designed to meet the highest expectations of its members. A private club in an idyllic setting, it attracts a community of people who love the sea and are regular visitors to Saint-Tropez’s harbour.

The harbour has always broken new ground in the Gulf in terms of innovation and equipment, with particular attention paid to sustainable development. Totally committed to the Clean Harbour Guidelines (Ports Propres), every year the harbour invests in new eco-responsible equipment and initiatives to raise awareness of the issues with users.

2021 set the start of a new era with director Tony Oller breathing new life into the harbour. Devoted to stay in the course of improvment with special care to the harbour and the staff. In this spirit, we are always seeking perfection in order to offer our regular and new customers the best experience.

References: Eric Vieux, Jean-Michel Pannacci, Fiona Sauze and Laurent Pavlidis PhD in History, responsible for the Maritime History Museum in the Citadel and the Saint-Tropez heritage association.

 

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