But guests that are drawn to the dancing-on-tables version of Saint-Tropez can venture to Pampelonne Beach, where La Reserve a la Plage has given the legendary Club 55 some competition. It’s not the only one; in recent years, multiple options have emerged, boasting world-class cuisine, chic design, and Hotel Costes-style DJs.
Luxury brands have taken note, and this summer there were collaborations galore, with pop-ups including Gucci at Loulou, Dior at Shellona, Giorgio Armani at Bagatelle, and French fashion darling Jacquemus at Indie Beach. (Loro Piana also had a presence at La Reserve a la Plage). Other glitzy arrivals include Jardin Tropezina, Byblos Beach, and Gigi Ramatuelle—a favorite for many a supermodel before Fashion Month began.
Similarly stylish developments have emerged in Saint-Tropez, with Louis Vuitton’s first-ever standalone restaurant, which opened under the direction of Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric this year (Donckele also oversees Cheval Blanc’s renowned La Vague d’Or nearby), and a variety of lively restaurants at Airelles’ remodeled Saint-Tropez properties, Pan Deï Palais and Château de la Messardière. Between them, you’ll find Matsuhisa (the fine dining predecessor of Nobu), photogenic Italian restaurants, Cararra, Zetta, and the Indian-inspired Les Délices Du Pan Deï.
Chef Mauro Colagreco, whose Menton restaurant Mirazur was crowned the World’s Best Restaurant right before the pandemic began, is not surprised that so many starry chefs are relocating to the French Riviera. “The richness of the biodiversity, of cultures, history, and art draws people in,” he explains. “I’m happy to see that we have more and more chefs who are reconnecting with nature and choosing the Côte d’Azur to express their culinary vision.”
Colagreco’s vision is equally impressive at Ceto, his seafood-focused restaurant atop the Maybourne Riviera (also featured on the 2023 World’s Best 50 Restaurants list). And down the coast in Monte Carlo, the food scene that has long been overpriced and notoriously dated has been elevated by elegant restaurants at Hotel Metropole: Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac, and YOSHI, a Michelin-star Japanese restaurant that has become one of the most coveted bookings in Monaco.
