Saint-Tropez Day Trip by Ferry from Cannes

Cannes Old Port and Quai Saint-Pierre

Your day begins on Quai Saint-Pierre in the Old Port of Cannes, below the hill of Le Suquet, the oldest part of the city, where fishing boats and pleasure craft share the quays. Collect your boarding ticket at the ferry ticket office opposite number 20 Quai Saint-Pierre in good time: the boat leaves at 10:15 AM and missed departures cannot be refunded.

Many travellers ask how to get to Saint-Tropez from Cannes. By road the drive along the coast can take a long time in summer, and parking in Saint-Tropez is notoriously difficult; the ferry takes you straight from the heart of Cannes to the heart of Saint-Tropez in about 75 minutes, and the crossing itself becomes one of the highlights of the day.

Along the Riviera: the red rocks of the Esterel

Leaving Cannes, the ferry follows the coast west and south past the Esterel Massif, a range of volcanic porphyry whose deep red cliffs plunge into the blue Mediterranean. Seen from the water, the contrast between the red rock, the green umbrella pines and the sea is spectacular, and the coves and headlands are hard to appreciate from the road.

Find a seat on the open deck if the weather is fine and enjoy the sea breeze, or stay inside if you prefer shade. As the boat rounds the coast you pass seaside villages and beaches before the old town of Saint-Tropez appears, its pastel houses and bell tower rising behind the harbour. Snacks and soft drinks can be bought on board, cash only.

Saint-Tropez harbour and the old town

Saint-Tropez was a small fishing village for centuries before it became one of the most famous resorts on the French Riviera, and its harbour still mixes traditional wooden fishing boats with impressive yachts. The quays are lined with ochre, pink and yellow houses, cafés and art galleries, and the yellow and terracotta bell tower of the parish church rises behind them.

With about five hours of free time, start with a stroll around the harbour, then wander into the old town. Close by, the Annonciade Museum, in a former chapel on the port, holds a fine collection of modern paintings of the light and colours of Saint-Tropez. Enjoy a lunch of Provençal dishes on a sunny terrace or browse the boutiques of its narrow streets.

La Ponche and the citadel

Behind the harbour lies La Ponche, the old fishermen's quarter, a tangle of narrow lanes, arches and small squares leading down to a tiny beach where fishing boats are still pulled up on the sand. It is the most authentic corner of the village and wonderfully peaceful in the morning.

From there a short climb leads to the 17th-century citadel on the hill above town, whose ramparts offer one of the best views over the rooftops, the bay of Saint-Tropez and the hills of the Massif des Maures. Its keep houses a museum of maritime history telling the story of the town's sailors and navigators. Allow about an hour to walk up, visit and come back down.

Place des Lices and its Provençal market

Place des Lices is the great shaded square of Saint-Tropez, lined with plane trees and famous for its games of pétanque. On Tuesday and Saturday mornings it hosts one of the most celebrated markets in Provence, with stalls of fruit and vegetables, olives, cheeses, lavender, Provençal fabrics, pottery and antiques.

If your dates allow, plan your Saint-Tropez day trip from Cannes for a Tuesday or Saturday to enjoy the market. In late October the town also holds a big annual street sale, with special sailing dates for this ferry. At the end of your free time, head back to the harbour for the return crossing to Cannes and a last look at the Riviera coast.