48 hours in Cogolin & Saint Tropez

After spending some time in the lavender fields in the Valensole area of Provence, France, we set off for our next destination on our French Riviera road trip: Cogolin and Saint-Tropez.

Saint-Tropez is renowned for its luxurious port, filled with some of the most extravagant yachts in the world. It is a popular destination along the Côte d’Azur for the rich and famous to vacation. It reminds me of the Beverly Hills or Bel Air of France, in my opinion. Accommodations can be quite expensive, so we chose to rent a unit with an AC unit (which is still considered a luxury in homes in Europe) in the neighboring town of Cogolin, which is also quite upscale.

Here’s a play-by-play of our time in Cogolin and Saint-Tropez!

3:30 – 6:00 PM: Travel to Cogolin

We drove to Cogolin, which was about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Valensole, France. The drive was beautiful, passing through many small towns and winding roads where we occasionally spotted bikers, reminding us that the Tour de France was taking place during the weeks we were visiting.

On our drive, we passed through the charming village of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. The scenic views of the lake and surrounding countryside were truly breathtaking.

6:00 – 7:00 PM: Arrive at apartment in Cogolin

We booked our accommodation through Booking.com at ‘Appartement Vue Mer Golfe de Saint-Tropez’. Leading up to our stay, I had been in contact with the owner of the unit on WhatsApp, and we arranged a timeframe to meet at the property. She provided clear instructions on how to enter the community gates and gave us a quick tour upon arrival. She was very sweet and informed us that we would be in the area for Bastille Day which commemorates a pivotal moment in the French Revolution, symbolizing the end of the absolute monarchy and the birth of the modern French Republic.

We chilled out and settled into the apartment. The view of Cogolin and Saint-Tropez was gorgeous, and you could see the yachts from miles away. After freshening up, we decided to explore the port town of Cogolin.

7:00 – 9:00PM: Port Grimaud in Cogolin

We drove to a parking lot filled with some of the most expensive cars we’d ever seen. From there, we walked under the Port Grimaud arch and strolled along streets lined with shops and restaurants. We also saw various waterways where boats docked and houses lined the shores.

Port Grimaud was the cutest community. We wandered around, discovering a local beach where we ran our feet through the sand, took in the views, and enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

We then walked back into the port and found a small grocery store. We picked up hand soap, body wash, a 12-pack of water, a 6-pack of beer, and a few other supplies for our Airbnb-like accommodations. After putting the items in our backpack, we continued exploring.

My boyfriend picked up a poke bowl and brought it home for dinner, while I enjoyed leftovers from our lunch earlier in the day. We chilled out at the apartment and relaxed for the rest of the night. Here are some views from sunset on the apartment patio.

Day 2: Our Epic Day in Saint-Tropez

10:40 – 11:00 AM: Drive to Saint Tropez

We started the day slowly with Nespresso pods in the apartment. We then drove our rented red Renault to the Parking du Nouveau Port lot in Saint-Tropez, about 20 minutes away. This conveniently located parking (that cost about 3 euros an hour to park) made it easy to walk to Place de Lices where we enjoyed viewing the luxurious yachts, colorful boats, and waterfront cafés.

11:00-3:00: Saint Tropez Adventure

We went to ‘ Boulangerie “Aux Deux Fréres” and ordered about four croissants, a baguette, and a variety of drinks. We brought our breakfast bounty to a lovely park leading up to the Citadel of Saint-Tropez, a 16th-century fortress. We sat on a bench and enjoyed our breakfast while a family of peacocks trotted around the park. Afterward, we continued up the hill and paid about 10 euros for both of us to explore the Citadel. We visited the Maritime Museum, enjoyed panoramic views of the town and coastline, and explored the old fortress. The castle was in great condition, and we saw even more peacocks.

We then hiked down the side of the citadel hill and walked past a cemetary to to La Ponche Beach. I had my bathing suit on so took my clothes off and jumped right into the water. I loved frolicking in the calm water before putting my shorts on over my bathing suit. My boyfriend and I then strolled into the Old Town, also known as La Ponche. We wandered through the charming narrow streets, visited local boutiques on Rue Général Allard and we experienced the historical charm of Saint-Tropez. My souvenir from Saint-Tropez was a light blue, flowy floor length dress from a small boutique called ‘Mille Sabords’ that was having a 50% off sale.

3:00 – 4:30 PM: Lunch

Lunch is typically served in restaurants until 2:30 pm in France, and many establishments close for a few hours to prepare for dinner. Since we arrived after 2:30 pm, our lunch options were limited. We settled on a waterfront restaurant where I had a chicken Caesar salad and my boyfriend had the lamb dish. While the restaurant was a bit overpriced, we enjoyed the ambiance and thought the food was quite good. I had great company with me in France, I was surprised my boyfriend and I worked together so well to check off all the stops at each of our destinations.

4:30 – 6:00 PM: Pampelonne Beach

We picked up the car and drove over to Plage Pampelonne in Ramatuelle, France. After parking, we headed to one of the bars on the beach with lively music. We entered Byblos Beach, where I sat at the bar and ordered a frozen cocktail. It was delightful, and my boyfriend and I danced to the French and African music. We also used the bathroom at the bar instead of the public restrooms, and think that purchasing a drink is worthwhile if only to use the restaurant’s clean bathroom.

We walked over to the public area of the beach, where I couldn’t resist jumping into the clear blue Mediterranean Sea and frolicking around. After getting out of the water and air-drying, we walked back to the car. Surprisingly, parking was free at this beach, which might have been a fluke, but we weren’t going to question it.

6:00 – 7:00 PM: Cap Camarat lighthouse view

We took a scenic drive along the Route des Plages and stopped at the Cap Camarat lighthouse to enjoy the stunning views.

We then drove back to the hotel in Cogolin, where we relaxed and unwound after an epic day in Saint-Tropez. Unfortunately, we were too late to jump in the pool, but here is a picture of it!

11:30-12:00: Bastide Day Fireworks

It just so happened to be Bastille Day, so we were treated to wonderful fireworks that we could see from the indoor/outdoor patio at the apartment. The display lasted nearly half an hour, and at the end, all the yachts honked their boat horns in unison, creating a truly beautiful moment.

Day 3: Travel to Nice, France

11:00am: Check out and Drive

We woke up, and I threw on the dress I bought the day prior. I took a walk around the gated community, having read that there was a bakery somewhere nearby. While I never found the bakery, I stumbled upon a hotel with really nice decor, so I sat for a while and journaled while enjoying the view.

We packed up our belongings the night before and prepared the rental unit for check-out. After waiting for the cleaning crew to arrive, we handed over the key and jumped into our red Renault for the next leg of our trip.

Stay tuned for the next post on our adventure to Nice, France, where we’ll stay for the next 5 days and explore the Riviera by train and bus.

— Living Fully Fulfilled