All the guidebooks warn one off of this ... but somehow if I have time, I kind of want to go? Main issue, I am staying in Nice, and I won't have a car, and it looks like not the easiest place to get to. Is it worth hiring a car in both directions? If so, recommendations? Is there anything in the immediate vicinity if I wanted to split the day up?
Thank you!
If you must: there is a cruise from Nice.
Or for more flexibility / more time in St Tropez: train to St Raphaël and boat from there.
I've personally only ever used the boats from Ste Maxime but those are only useful if you have a car.
It will take a full day.
This is exactly what I am looking for, thank you!
"if you must ... " safe to say you do not recommend?
St. Tropez is fun, but very crowded and time-consuming. If you go to, for example, Villefranche sur Mer, you will check the "cute seaside village" box without travelling as far. It depends on how long you have in Nice!
I wouldn't waste the day in St Tropez, but I know many people who have to say they've been there. It was a glamour spot for sure but it's lost its luster.
It's actually a resurgence in popularity as a beach party spot in Europe, at Pampelonne Beach (which requires a bus or taxi to get to, actually near Ramatuelle). It was a hot spot on the summer club circuit, hence the young influencers that head there in July/August.
The town itself is quaint but the main beach is the best part --- long, sandy and not backed by ugly buildings, as well as the big resorts. There are a number of other cute villages besides Ramatuelle, and stretch of road between St. Tropez and Hyeres is scenic.
But in peak season, all bets are off. Traffic can be insufferable heading into the peninsula, and reservations, access and pricing skyrockets. The issue with the ferry is that it leaves you at the village, which is nice but what really is nice imho about the area are the surrounding area -- the famous beach, the wineries, the other villages.
